


The Hero's Descent

by May_Seward



Series: Star Wars: Heroes [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side (kind of!), F/M, He's still an angsty little shit though, I just wanted to see what would happen by changing certain things, Revenge of the Sith AU, There may be some Clone Wars references but I'm gonna try not to make them too much, basically people notice that Anakin's going dark and try to do something about it, ish, so not too OOC I hope, the jedi council still make really bad decisions though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 39,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6037999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/May_Seward/pseuds/May_Seward
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Chancellor Palpatine’s rescue, Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi make a distressing discovery about the Jedi Anakin Skywalker. In an effort to divert the dark path the Jedi Knight is walking, Yoda and Obi-Wan decide to take action. Victory is won, and the Clone Wars come to an end, but an attack on the Jedi leaves the Order shattered. Hunted by the clones after the Chancellor’s Order 66, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Master Yoda, Senator Organa and Padmé Amidala make a desperate bid to save the Jedi Order, The Republic, and Anakin’s soul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Outer-Rim Under Seige

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mace Windu performs a summoning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this is my first Star Wars fic! I've gotten very excited about this and have lots planned for it so I hope you enjoy. This story is a Revenge of the Sith AU, as I said in the summary, and will roughly follow the progress of the movie diverging from the canon story more and more as it progresses, but I wanted to start it here.
> 
> Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of long Author's Notes, so enjoy!

The small droid wove its way between falling rocks and underbrush, beeping solemnly. It's blue-and-silver dome spun as it simultaneously scanned the area for incoming danger, the easiest and most direct path to its destination, and potential life signs.

The ground rocked as the droid crested a hill, nearly causing it to topple over, and the sight that met its artificial eyes gave it pause.

The planet Tsiphonosi, located in the Erinyeoss system of the Outer Rim, was mostly grass plains this far from the equator, though if the droid scanned the surrounding areas for civilisation on any other day, it would have found that the nearest settlement was only twenty standard kilometers away - something that did not bode well for the battle currently raging below. Today, however, it had more pressing matters on its mechanical mind.

The army of the Galactic Republic, a mass of white-armored clones, clashed violently with the battle droids of the Confederacy of Independant Systems, flashes from blasters and heavier artillery pounding steadily on both sides. In the midst of the fray, the droid finally spotted what it was looking for; two long blades of blue light, darting between battle droids, cutting down everything in their path and deflecting incoming blaster shots.

Setting off again, the droid moved calmly down the grassy hill in the direction of the battle, beeping lowly. In the midst of battle, the humanoid Confederacy droids barely noticed the little astromech as it steadily approached its destination. Still, it took nearly half an hour for it to get where it wanted to go. When it got there, it beeped with something that could have been indignance, if it was capable of feeling such a thing, at its reception.

'R2? What are you doing here?' Anakin Skywalker demanded, blue lightsaber cutting through three battle droids at once. R2D2 beeped urgently. The Jedi pursed his lips, turning his deflective move into an attack at the nearest battle droid. 'Sorry, R2, but I'm a little busy!'

'Anakin, hurry up!' the other Jedi, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi called from a few meters to Anakin's right.

'Sorry, Master,' Anakin grumbled and raced to catch up, R2D2 following faithfully behind.

'So much for a "reconnaissance mission"!' Obi-Wan yelled over the roar of battle as Anakin and R2 caught up.

'Well, you know me, Master!' Anakin shouted back, a grin spreading across his face despite the situation. 'Never one to miss a fight!'

'Yesterday you couldn't wait to go home!'

'Still can't, Master,' Anakin retorted, deflecting a blaster shot so it rebounded and took out the droid who'd shot at him. 'But duty calls!'

R2D2 beeped again, but it had to repeat itself a few times before it caught Obi-Wan's attention.

'What is it?' the Jedi Master asked the droid in much the same fashion as his former padawan just minutes earlier.

R2 beeped again.

'What's that?' Obi-Wan glanced up at Anakin. 'What does it mean?'

'I'll tell you in a minute!' Anakin grunted, beheading one battle droid and slicing the arms off another within the same fluid movement. 'But I suggest we find somewhere we're less likely to get shot at first!'

The Jedi and the droid began making their way slowly towards the edge of the battlefield, cutting a path away from the fighting towards their hidden starfighters.

Once out of immediate danger, Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to R2.

'He's carrying a message,' Anakin said once R2 had beeped an explanation.

'Well?' Obi-Wan asked the droid with an impatient wave of his hand. 'Play it.'

Anakin sent him a sharp look made less effective by his smirk, but was distracted when R2 did as it was told.

A blue hologram emitted from the protruding lens and the figure of an imposing-looking Jedi Master suddenly stood beside them.

'Master Kenobi,' said Mace Windu. 'It is imperative that this message find you immediately. Coruscant is under attack. The Chancellor has been kidnapped and you have been requested to lead the mission in retrieving him. A Separatist fleet is attempting to leave Coruscant airspace as we speak, and local battalions are preparing to engage them. Force willing, that will slow their escape enough you can complete your mission as soon as you reach Coruscant. I am sending two of our own to relieve yourself and Skywalker of your positions as generals of your legions, but you should not delay. May the Force be with you.'

Mace Windu flickered and then vanished, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan staring at the space he had just taken up. Within moments, Anakin was opening the cockpit to his own starfighter and gesturing for R2D2 to come aboard.

'Come on, R2! Master! If we leave now and we make the hyperspace jump once we leave the system, we could reach Coruscant in an hour. We're not that far into the Outer Rim.'

Obi-Wan nodded, boarding his own ship and together the two took off.

As they exited the atmosphere, Anakin activated the commlink between himself and Obi-Wan.

'So what is the plan, Master?' he asked.

Obi-Wan's disgruntled voice reached his ears almost immediately. 'Ask me again once we've survived the blockade!'

Anakin suppressed a chuckle and executed an evasive maneuver to avoid being shot to pieces by the Separatist blockade surrounding the small but strategically valuable green planet.

'Sorry, Master!' he said, firing at one of the smaller enemy ships.

'For goodness sake, Anakin!' Obi-Wan cried. 'Don't try and take on a ship that size, you'll just piss them off!' Anakin flipped his ship ninety degrees to avoid answering fire. 'Do you _want_ to get blown to pieces?'

'Where are all our guys?' Anakin wondered. He knew for a fact that not all of the Republic's presence around Tsiphonosi was on the ground.

As if he had summoned them with the Force, a Galactic Republic star destroyer came into view, blasting the Confederacy ship to rubble and creating a hole big enough for Anakin and Obi-Wan to slip through without further harm.

'So, Master,' Anakin began again as casually as if they had been out for a stroll. 'What's the plan?'

* * *

The battle was already raging when Anakin and Obi-Wan arrived. Galactic star destroyers and confederacy ships clashing in a thicket of red and green light as smaller starfighters ducked and wove through the crossfire.

As soon as they arrived, Obi-Wan contacted the clone commander. 'Odd Ball, this is General Kenobi, what's the situation?'

'General Kenobi, the Chancellor has been taken to the flagship _Invisible Hand_ , we believe General Grievous is on board. General Shaak Ti has already boarded but we lost contact with her.'

'How did she manage that?' Obi-Wan asked in surprise.

'We don't know,' Odd Ball admitted. 'But she may have stowed away on the ship with the Chancellor.'

'Was she alone?' Anakin asked.

'We believe so, General Skywalker.'

'Where is Grievous' ship?' Obi-Wan asked as he and Anakin dived over a Republic star destroyer and dodged a spray of fire from a nearby Separatist starship. As Commander Odd Ball gave Obi-Wan the approximate location, the Jedi Master blasted a broken-off section of Separatist ship blocking their path until it exploded in a ball of gas and he and Anakin flew straight through.

'What was that about firing at ships that size, Master?' Anakin asked with a smirk as they emerged on the other side.

'This is no time for games, Anakin,' Obi-Wan retorted. 'Have we got eyes on Grievous' ship yet?'

The two Jedi had to swerve out of the way as a Republic star destroyer shot at a Separatist frigate. The resulting explosion sent a shower of deadly red sparks in every direction. Anakin's expression turned serious as he spotted the ship they were looking for.

'Lock onto him, R2,' he said. 'Master, General Grievous's ship is directly ahead.'

'Oh, I see it. This is going to be easy.' They were making good progress towards Grievous's ship now, as Obi-Wan called Odd Ball and his squadron of fighter pilots to cover their tails.

Anakin grinned, unable to stay serious for too long with the adrenaline surging through his body. Flying always seemed to have that effect on him. 'This is where the fun begins.'

* * *

By the time they reached the _Invisible Hand_ , the adrenaline was beginning to wear off. The immediacy of the danger had distracted Anakin from the seriousness of the mission, too focused on getting on board Grievous's ship to worry about what had happened when they actually got there. Now, however, the hangar bay of the Separatist flagship was approaching fast.

'The General's command ship is dead ahead,' Anakin said, thinking ahead to the very different type of fight that would await them when they landed.

'Well have you noticed the shields are still up?' Obi-Wan cried.

_Ooops._

'Sorry, Master,' Anakin replied, flipping over to Obi-Wan's right and firing at the shield generator. With another explosion, the shield deactivated, triggering the blast doors to close.

'I have a bad feeling about this!' Obi-Wan announced, bracing himself for impact. Anakin surged his fighter forward.

The blast doors were almost closed. They were so close.

Anakin and Obi-Wan skidded into the hangar, just as the doors slammed shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, the first few chapters will be the rescue of the Chancellor because its a little bit AU and it will become important to the story later. As for the mention of Shaak Ti, when I first wrote this chapter I was actually unaware of the disagreements of what was actually canon and what isn't, but this story - or parts of it anyway, was actually partially inspired by some of the Revenge of the Sith deleted scenes, so I'm going to use some of the events from them. I would like to point out, however, if you have seen them, that I changed bits from them as well. As I said before, this is an AU so it shouldn't really matter anyway.


	2. Jedi to the Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin is disarmingly good at swordplay

Obi-Wan launched out of his ship before it had even come to a halt, drawing his lightsaber as he did so. As Anakin landed, he joined the Jedi Master, and the droids in the hangar that hadn't been sucked into the vacuum were in pieces within minutes. After that, finding the Chancellor was easy. Of course he would be on the top spire of the flagship with the Generals where the windows would offer an unparalleled view of the battle raging around them.

Getting up there, however, was more difficult than either Jedi expected. The _Invisible Hand_ had sustained enough damage that not all the elevators were working properly - and there was no other known way up or down. The first elevator stopped after only a few levels and the second ground to a halt with three levels still to go.

'There's no point, Anakin,' Obi-Wan sighed after they had tried all the elevators in the vicinity. 'None of the elevators on this floor are working.'

'What do you suggest, then, Master?' Anakin asked, raising his scarred eyebrow.

Obi-Wan inclined his head. 'We find another way.'

According to R2, there was another elevator bay on the other end of the floor that could potentially lead up to where the Chancellor was being held. Anakin and Obi-Wan decided to find it, but Obi-Wan was uneasy. _Surely this place should be crawling with battle droids?_

His suspicions were proved right a few moments later.

Together, they rounded a corner and found themselves in yet another wide slate grey corridor.

'Shaak Ti,' Anakin said, his eyes having found the Jedi Master kneeling on the floor. Behind her, stood Grievous, and if his immobile metal face had the ability to hold expression, then Obi-Wan guessed the sentiment the cyborg would have displayed was smugness.

'I'm sorry, Master Kenobi,' Shaak Ti said. She sounded resigned which put Anakin on edge more than the situation itself. 'I have failed.'

'General Kenobi,' Grievous wheezed, crouching so his metal face was almost level with the kneeling Jedi Master. 'We have been waiting for you.' Was there something in his hand or was the metal just catching the light? 'Stinking Jedi!' The metal glinting was the wrong colour.

A blue lightsaber blade erupted through Shaak Ti's chest and she crumpled to the ground.

Anakin and Obi-Wan drew their own lightsabers in sync, but there was no saving their comrade now.

'That was a mistake,' Anakin spat, glaring at the Separatist general and all but ignoring the battle droids that had suddenly surrounded them.

_How would they get out of this?_

They were surrounded on all sides.

Well, except one.

Grievous was talking, but Obi-Wan and Anakin weren't listening, instead having a silent conversation as Anakin relayed his idea to his master.

It took less than a second for the Jedi to spin a full 360 degrees, blades slicing through the floor, and then they let themselves fall, hurtling through empty space.

* * *

Anakin landed on his knees, dark cloak swirling around him. Behind him, Obi-Wan landed only a little more gracefully, looking back at the maintenance shaft they had just crawled through to get to the top floor. There was no pursuit.

Anakin rose silently and joined his master by the closed doors in front of them. They were all that stood between the Jedi and the Chancellor now.

At first glance, the observation deck appeared empty, but then the Jedi spotted movement and made their way towards the Chancellor.

Chancellor Palpatine stayed serenely calm during their approach, seated on a chair that would have been described as a throne had his wrists not been secured tightly in place.

'Chancellor,' Obi-Wan greeted him conversationally, offering a little bow.

Anakin dispensed with the pleasantries. 'Are you alright?'

'Count Dooku.' The Chancellor said it so quietly and with such little movement in his mouth that Anakin wondered for the first time if the old man was frightened.

As one, the Jedi turned to face their incoming opponent, a greying Sith Lord. Dooku leaped the railing of the mezzanine level and landed lightly on his feet.

'This time, we will do it together,' Obi-Wan muttered. Anakin's metal hand clenched absently, a permanent reminder of the last time he had faced the fallen Jedi.

'I was just about to say that.'

Anakin's blood thrilled at the idea of payback, all the reasons why Dooku deserved to die flickering through his head at lightspeed. But he wasn't a naive 19 year old boy anymore. This time, he was going to _win_.

* * *

Anakin and Dooku's blades clashed with a screech. The Jedi Knight barely spared a glance for his former master, who was lying unconscious underneath a fallen section of the mezzanine floor. Obi-Wan would not thank him if he was distracted now. The Jedi Master was alive and breathing, Anakin could sense it, and so Dooku took priority.

'I sense great fear in you, Skywalker,' Dooku grunted. Anakin allowed himself the sliver of pride that he could take from the knowledge that this time around, Dooku appeared to be using all of his strength to try and beat him. 'You have hate.'

Anakin's eyes closed. He controlled his breathing in an attempt to quiet the emotions Dooku had just mentioned. Obi-Wan's prone form lying some distance away flashed in his mind's eye.

'You have anger.'

Anakin gritted his teeth, every muscle in his body tense with the effort of not yielding to the Sith Lord. Subconsciously, his metal hand clenched his lightsaber a fraction tighter. Shaak Ti's face as she fell to the floor of this very ship forced his eyes open again. She had been a victim of this man's ally.

'But you don't use them.'

Anakin summoned his strength and pushed Dooku away. He advanced, ready to strike. Grievous would get his comeuppance later. Dooku was getting his _now_.

His overhead strike was parried, but Anakin was on the offensive now and if Dooku didn't do something soon, he would be stuck between the young Jedi and the window. Dooku knew this, and saw an opening, crossing between Anakin and the Chancellor, but Anakin's blood was roaring in his ears and this time he would _not_ be beaten. Their lightsabers crossed again, blue on red, and Anakin forced Dooku's hands down. Both were gripping his lightsaber tightly, but Anakin only needed a moment. With his free hand he gripped Dooku's wrists and forced them down lower, his lightsaber doing the rest.

Both Dooku's hands and lightsaber flew into the air. Anakin caught the weapon as his adversary fell to his knees. His blood boiled. He was breathing hard, but that all came second to the look of fear in Dooku's black eyes. The Sith's own lightsaber was being used against him now, and with one of the glowing blades on each side of his neck, there was no move he could make that wouldn't result in him being decapitated.

Dooku was unarmed - literally - and helpless. Anakin had won. He should place the Sith lord under arrest, but there was a voice speaking in the back of his mind.

_Kill him._

When Dooku stared to Anakin's left in horror, Anakin realised the voice was actually Chancellor Palpatine.

'Kill him now.'

His arms itched with the desire to act on the order, but he held back. _This was not the Jedi way. Dooku should face a trial._

'I shouldn't,' he replied to the Chancellor, eyes never leaving Dooku's terrified face.

_The man was at his mercy. Staying his hand is what made him better than Dooku. A Jedi was a protector, not a murderer._

_And yet..._

'Do it!' the Chancellor barked.

_What was stopping Dooku from escaping or being rescued? Lightsabers could be replaced. Even hands could be replaced. Anakin should know... There were so many Jedi that were dead because of the man on his knees. All those killed on Geonosis. Countless more since then, all dead because of a war Dooku started. Obi-Wan, lying unconscious. Shaak Ti, lying dead._

Dooku's head rolled onto the floor before Anakin had even consciously acknowledged the decision to move. He retracted both lightsaber blades, looking down at the scene in disgust.

_That was wrong..._

'You did well Anakin. He was too dangerous to be kept alive.'

Anakin turned. The Chancellor was looking at Anakin like a proud father, not like Anakin was a monster. That had to mean something. The Chancellor's point was well founded. 'Yes,' Anakin agreed, albeit reluctantly. 'But he was an unarmed prisoner.' A simple wave of his hand removed the Chancellor's restraints and the older man stood, a pleased smile on his face. 'I shouldn't have done that,' Anakin continued. 'It's not the Jedi way.'

'It is only natural. He cut off your arm, you wanted revenge. It wasn't the first time. Remember what you told me of your mother and the sand people?'

Anakin followed the Chancellor towards the exit with the cries of a tusken raider still ringing in his ears.

Obi-Wan's unconscious body diverted the young Jedi before they could reach the doors. His hips were still pinned under the fallen section of floor, but it was easy enough to lift.

'He seems to be alright,' Anakin announced, more to reassure himself than anything, and rolled Obi-Wan over to get a better look at him.

'Leave him.' The Chancellor's words caused Anakin to glare up at the man. Defiantly, he prepared Obi-Wan's body to be lifted over his shoulders.

* * *

A barrage of fire from the nearest star destroyer shook the ship violently enough that Anakin and Palpatine had to scramble for the elevator. They needed to get back to the hangar bay quickly if they were to leave the ship before it broke up around them. The ship began to tip violently, its center of gravity altering to compensate and Anakin and Palpatine began to slip. Anakin had to think quickly before they began to freefall, waving the elevator door open with the Force and fighting his way through into the elevator shaft with Obi-Wan still (relatively) safely secured around his shoulders.

The elevator shaft was now a long, cold corridor. _How many floors was it to the hangar bay from here?_ Anakin wondered as they ran, trying to count the doors passing beneath his feet. He thanked his Jedi training for the fact he hadn't dropped Obi-Wan or severely overbalanced on the shifting floor.

He decided this had been a bad idea when the ship began to right itself, the corridor quickly becoming an unforgiving metal chute again. Anakin and Palpatine began to slide. Palpatine grabbed hold of his leg. In the back of his mind, Anakin sensed that Obi-Wan would wake up at any moment.

His mechanical hand found something to hold onto and their fall was cut abruptly short, muscles taught with the strain his own body weight, plus the weight of two more grown men being channeled through his shoulder. With his free hand, he made sure he had Obi-Wan securely in his grip and tried to think of a way out of the situation.

Obi-Wan stirred, jerked and suddenly his arms were winding tightly around Anakin's neck and torso. 'Easy,' Anakin murmured, satisfied his former master wasn't about to plunge to his death. The shaft was beginning to vibrate.

'Did I miss something?' Obi-Wan asked and Anakin looked up. The elevator he had called moments ago was now hurtling towards them.

'R2!' he called into the communicator. 'Shut down the elevator!'

'Too late!' Obi-Wan decided. 'Jump!'

Anakin let go, allowing the three to fall. Obi-Wan released him and the two pulled grappling hooks from their belts, throwing them around a beam. Palpatine still had hold of Anakin's leg - which was a good thing because below them a door slid open and the Jedi took the opportunity to swing through, landing on solid floor once again.

Anakin allowed himself a smile, but his day wasn't over yet.

One corridor turned into two before the three were abruptly forced to a halt. Ray shields. Even after R2D2's arrival, it had become clear they weren't going to be able to evade capture completely. Anakin took a deep breath. Hopefully that meant Grievous would get what was coming to him.

They were brought to the bridge, accompanied by an impressive amount of battle droids of various types. Grievous met them there, his eyes, the only visible part of him that was in any way organic, swept over the three with contempt before greeting Obi-Wan in much the same fashion as their encounter earlier.

This time, he used Obi-Wan's unofficial nickname. 'The Negotiator,' he wheezed. 'That wasn't much of a rescue.' He took Anakin and Obi-Wan's weapons from the droid who offered them with a jerk and placed them inside a pocket in his cloak, taking obvious pleasure in the action. Out of the corner of Anakin's eye, he saw R2D2 stand to attention.

_Just a moment..._ Anakin thought, narrowing his eyes on his lightsaber as it left Grievous's skeletal hand.

'R2!' he said sharply while Grievous was still more interested in his new acquisitions. R2 virtually exploded, activating all of his systems at once and suddenly drawing the attention of everything in the room. Obi-Wan spun and his lightsaber flew into his hands. Anakin followed suit except turned his back to Kenobi's now free hands so he could be released from his restraints. Then, his own weapon flew into his palm.

Grievous set his MagnaGuards on them.

Obi-Wan intercepted them first, occupying them while another set of battle droids began dragging the Chancellor out of the bridge and down the corridor. One of the MagnaGuards had turned their attention back to Anakin. They were better fighters than the others, programmed to use melee weapons rather than blasters. The MagnaGuard attacked, successfully drawing Anakin's focus from the Chancellor as he parried the blow, returning with a few of his own. He allowed it to force him back, knowing it would keep him moving toward the Chancellor and parried its blows. Over the MagnaGuard's shoulder, Anakin saw Obi-Wan behead his and turn away, only for it to still keep coming at him. Obi-Wan cut it to ribbons.

_Don't bother beheading them. Got it._

Anakin went for the waist instead, taking the first opportunity. The droid crashed to the floor in two halves.

The battle droids holding the Chancellor were far less of a challenge and once the Chancellor was free, they returned to the bridge to see Obi-Wan confronting Grievous. Not about to let Obi-Wan get all the fun, Anakin flanked the cyborg general on the other side. He was cornered.

Grievous took one look at his situation and picked up a MagnaGuard's staff that was propped against the bridge console. 'You lose, General Kenobi!'

The staff was thrown at the glass window and the metal general was sucked into space.

Once the bridge was resealed, everyone inside seemed to recover. Together Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to the rest of the room.

Most of the droids and attendants in the room fled. The rest, the Jedi disposed of quickly. Now, they just had to get back to Coruscant somehow. Alarms sounded everywhere - the ship was in bad shape. A new alert caught Anakin's attention. All the escape pods had been ejected.

'Grievous,' Obi-Wan muttered at the revelation. The idea didn't surprise them. Grievous was so much more machine than man by now that he could probably survive short periods of time in the vacuum of space. 'Can you fly a cruiser like this?'

'You mean do I know how to pilot what's left of this thing?'

_Well, there was more than one way back to Coruscant._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So that's over and done with. I just thought starting the story here would make things easier later on. Anyway, it gets a bit more AU next chapter, also with a lot of gap-filling. Stay tuned!


	3. Return to Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions happen and Anakin has a bad dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where it starts getting AU so I'm really interested (read: a little nervous) to know about your reactions to what I'm setting up - or where you think this is going to go.

Padmé Amidala watched the sky burn.

The Senate was preparing to go into session when the Chancellor had been taken and then the entire mushroom of a building had gone into lock down. It had been over an hour before anyone was actually told what was going on.

Then, all there was to do was wait.

Three years and the conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems was beginning to descend into chaos, with no clear victor in sight. To make matters worse, throughout it all, the Chancellor's response has been to lessen the power of the Senate. Continual changes to the constitution had left the Senator for Naboo feeling helpless.

And that was before she had heard the latest whispers.

_... Two Jedi is the latest I heard..._

_... Yes, casualties in the Outer-Rim have been high, apparently..._

_... Can't go on much longer without the Jedi there..._

_... It's a shame about that Skywalker kid..._

_... Came to my planet last year, saved an entire village..._

_... I heard stories. People called him a hero..._

Past tense.

Padmé refused to believe them until they were confirmed, but every time she heard his name her stomach would contract painfully, waiting for the words to follow to tell her whether or not she was a widow...

And now, not even Coruscant was safe from the fighting. The golden system of the Republic had been attacked by the Separatists. Murmurs just within the Senate itself had confirmed that Padmé had not been naive in thinking the Galactic Capital had less to worry about than systems further to the edge of the galaxy. The attack had made people wonder just who was winning the war.

Explosions coloured the midday sky above Coruscant every few minutes, and Padmé knew each one was another starship destroyed, another few hundred dead. She didn't know whether it was better or worse that the fight was going on far enough away it was impossible to see the actual ships in question. Or whose side they were on.

Padmé closed her eyes, berating herself for thinking that way. Every casualty was a loss, no matter which side sustained the most. That was what happened in a civil war.

Another explosion drew her eye and she saw that this one was happening much closer to home. She could almost make out the shape of a huge ship splitting in half. Her hand found her open mouth as the metal wreck dissolved into a ball of fire, blazing projectiles breaking off as the ship entered the atmosphere. The thing was moving so _fast_. Soon more shapes joined the sinking ship, black birds flying too close to the sun.

'Do we know which ship it is?' It was one of Padmé's colleagues. She still couldn't tear her gaze from the impending shipwreck.

'General Grievous' flagship,' a new, deeper voice answered. She recognised it as Mace Windu, one of the only Jedi that remained on Coruscant semi-permanently while the war was going on. There was a pause. Then he said, 'There are still people on board.'

'How do you know?' the Senator asked, his tone of horror matched by Padmé's own feelings. _Someone was still on that thing?_

'It's being piloted onto a landing strip, otherwise it would have come into the atmosphere much faster.'

'I can't see that,' the Senator said skeptically. Windu didn't reply, but no one questioned the Jedi.

The ship was close now, some of its hulking form blocked from view by the mile or so of buildings that separated it from the Senate. It was much more recognisable now the fireships had done their jobs. It no longer resembled an elongated fireball, come to wreak destruction from above. It was clearly a Separatist dreadnought.

A few seconds after it had disappeared from view completely, the ground shook a little. Padmé guessed that was the ship's impact with the landing strip.

Master Windu annexed himself from the gathering crowd and moved closer to where Padmé was standing in the shadow of a pillar, so still she could have blended in as effectively as any Jedi.

'Master Kenobi, report,' Windu spoke into a communicator. Padmé's heart stopped. _Did the Jedi really think Obi-Wan had been in that thing? And if Windu was right, Anakin..._

There had been someone piloting the ship to safety. She had heard that Anakin was one of the Jedi sent to rescue the Chancellor. The Chancellor would have been taken to the flagship, surely...

There was no immediate response from Obi-Wan.

_Had anyone survived the crash? Oh, Anakin..._

It had been six months since she had seen him last. If he had died on that ship... Padmé bit her lip. Crying would attract suspicion. She was overreacting, surely. She _had_ to be.

'Another happy landing, Master Windu. The Chancellor has returned to Coruscant. We are on our way to the Senate now.'

That was definitely Obi-Wan's voice. She'd know it anywhere, and his tone gave her reason to hope. The man had been Anakin's mentor for thirteen years, if Anakin had been killed on the ship, he wouldn't sound nearly as cheerful as he had over the commlink. That man cared for Anakin like a brother and had been a good friend to Padmé since her tenure as Queen of The Naboo.

'Good work, Master Kenobi. Once you arrive, report immediately to the High Council.'

'Yes, Master. I shall let Anakin see the Chancellor safely back with his politicians and I'll go straight there.'

'Good. May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan.'

'And with you, Master.'

The connection cut off. Mace returned to the small group and Padmé could have cried with relief.

Anakin was alive. He was alive and coming here.

* * *

The transport stopped at the Senate building. Anakin smiled as he stepped into the weak Coruscanti sunshine on the Chancellor's heels. Obi-Wan insisted on leaving Anakin to his "day with the politicians", preferring instead to report to the Jedi Council. Anakin had protested, but secretly he was glad. There was someone else's company he'd much prefer to have in the Senate building and it had been far too long since he'd laid eyes on her.

She wasn't part of the greeting committee of politicians that had arrived to welcome the Chancellor, but he could feel her nearby. Just sensing her presence made his heart pick up a little and yet soothed him at the same time. Still, he kept outwardly cool and followed the group a little way as they trailed in the wake of the Chancellor, who was relaying their little "adventure" with apparent pleasure.

Finally, when it was just Senator Bail Organa and Anakin bringing up the rear, he spotted her and managed to excuse himself without a fuss.

It had been months since he'd seen her, but, on first glance, she hadn't changed at all. The shadows clung to her dark hair and dress, her pale face ethereal and painfully beautiful as it floated in the darkened shelter of a pillar.

One step and he was checking for onlookers.

Three steps and he was running.

Five steps and he had gathered her small frame in his arms and was swinging her around, broad smile on his face. He was back where he felt he was supposed to be, and they were together again.

Suddenly, it didn't feel like just a few months.

As he set her down, her lips found his and they tasted infinitely better than he remembered. Anakin released the pent-up breath it felt like he'd been holding for months and heard mirror in her own relieved sigh. Then, she was pulling away and searching his face for something. Anakin couldn't suppress the grin.

'There were rumours that you'd been killed.'

His heart clenched at the residual fear in her voice, but even that couldn't dampen his mood. 'I'm alright,' he said softly. 'It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime.' Then, he added, almost as an afterthought, 'I might've been if the Chancellor hadn't been kidnapped. I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer-Rim sieges...' his lips pressed her cheek with the full intention of finding their way back to her mouth and then perhaps lower sometime soon, but suddenly she pulled back.

'Not here.'

Anakin wanted to growl in frustration. 'Yes, here,' he countered, trying to pull her close again. 'I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married.'

'Anakin, don't say that!' Her brown eyes pleaded silently with him and he acquiesced, instead pulling her close to his chest and holding her there. She shook in his arms and he felt a spike in her anxiety. Hesitantly, he pulled back and the look on her face told him she was about to say something important.

'Are you alright? You're trembling.'

Padmé took a deep breath and smiled hesitantly up at him, but she looked scared when she replied, 'Something wonderful has happened. Ani, I'm pregnant.'

* * *

Obi-Wan travelled to the Jedi Temple in silence, allowing himself to acknowledge a little of his anxiety now that Anakin was no longer close enough to sense it. Count Dooku's body had been salvaged from the wreckage of the ship and had been taken to the Temple for examination. Obi-Wan hadn't gotten a very good look at the remains of the Sith Lord, but it left him with a sense of foreboding.

When he arrived, he was greeted by none other than Master Yoda. The small green Jedi nodded to him gravely as he stepped off the transport and entered the temple.

'What have you found, Master Yoda?' Obi-Wan asked quietly as they walked, Yoda leading the the way.

'Wait, we must. Discuss this in private, we will.'

'Master? Surely you trust those of us within the Temple?'

Yoda sent him a look Obi-Wan couldn't quite decipher. 'When revealed the topic of our conversation is, for my discretion, thank me you will.'

* * *

The body of Count Dooku lay on a cold metallic slab. Obi-Wan's mouth fell open slightly at the sight, though he made no noise of surprise. Dooku was only recognisable by his distinctive attire; dark tunic and grandiose cloak secured around his neck by a thick silver chain.

Or, what was left of his neck, at any rate.

'Anakin did this?'

'To any conclusions we must not leap,' Yoda answered noncommittally. 'But take educated guesses, we can. Skywalker's work this appears to be.'

'But, Master Yoda. Dooku appears to have been executed. Anakin would never...'

'Ignoring the signs, you are, Master Kenobi, if see the truth you do not.'

'But Master-'

'Impulsive, emotional, Skywalker has always been,' Yoda interrupted and Obi-Wan couldn't help but nod. 'Dark paths I sense for him. Tread carefully we must if to thwart these paths we are.'

* * *

_'Anakin, help me please!'_

_Padmé was dying and there was nothing he could do. He wanted to take the pain away, he wanted her to be safe. All of this was his fault - he was sure of it. There were tears in her eyes as she screamed. She was fading fast. It was too late, they were too late._

_A baby was screaming too._

_This couldn't be happening. Not now - it was too soon! Anakin wanted to take after his wife and child and scream too. He'd never been so scared in his entire life - or angry. This had been_ done _to her._

_His gaze was torn from Padmé's tortured face by something over her shoulder. It hurt with a physical type of pain, but the action was involuntary, like he wasn't supposed to see this but he needed to. It was-_

A yellow pair of eyes. Red-rimmed and evil.

* * *

Anakin sat bolt upright before he'd even fully regained consciousness. His head was spinning from the intensity of the dream and his breathing was hard and ragged. His bare feet hit the cold floor and he buried his head in his hands.

It was like watching his mother dying in his dreams all over again.

'Anakin, help me!'

'My son... My grown up son...'

This close to waking, the memory of the dream and the memory of the actual event blurred together until it was almost impossible to tell the difference.

He had failed to save Shmi Skywalker.

He would _not_ fail with Padmé.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm not sure if this is what you expected, but bear with me. It only gets more AU from here!


	4. Leader of the Opposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padme Amidala takes on the Galaxy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one but will kinda become important later.

'Senator Amidala!'

Senator Bail Organa waved a hand at Padmé from down the hall. Padmé managed a smile. She felt better today than she had for a while - which may or may not have anything to do with waking up to smiling blue eyes earlier this morning, but her stomach clenched all the same.

The Senate was voting today and she still had to sway at _least_ thirty votes in her favour. It felt like a momentous task, even with Bail's considerable help.

'Senator Organa,' Padmé replied. 'Good morning. Tell me, have we made any progress?'

'We have managed to persuade the Senator for Felucia onto our side, but I'm afraid we're not gaining much ground.'

Padmé caught up to Organa and sighed. 'This is ridiculous. Can't they see that the more powers we give the Chancellor, the closer we are to losing democracy for good?'

'Careful, Padmé,' Organa chastised. 'You make it sound like you don't trust the Chancellor.'

'You know I don't, Bail. When he was elected, I don't think anyone expected _this_ , and I know he's doing it for the greater good of the galaxy, but there _must_ be a better way. Or before you know it, we'll be decorations for a dictatorship.'

'Try to put it a little more diplomatically in your speech, Senator,' Organa warned. 'Chancellor Palpatine is not an enemy you want to make today.'

Padmé sent him a rueful look. 'You know me, Bail.'

* * *

The Senate chamber was packed. The vote to give Chancellor Palpatine more executive powers was one that not many Senators had dared to miss. Padmé took a deep breath before she stepped out onto her platform and moved out to address the Senate.

'Senators of the Republic. The decision to give the Chancellor more executive powers is one we must not make with only the near future in mind. After the events of yesterday, the war is closer to coming to an end than it has ever been. The Separatist General, Sith Lord Count Dooku is dead. He was killed just yesterday in the attempt to take our Chancellor hostage. The Separatists' leadership is wearing thin. As soon as the remaining General, the cyborg Grievous, is captured or destroyed, the war will be over and the Republic will have won. This is what you all want, is it not? Peace is so nearly within our grasp, now does not seem like the right time to be giving the Chancellor more emergency powers. The war is ending and there will soon be no need. But I ask you, what then? How hard will we have to fight to restore true democracy to the Republic? The more powers we give the Chancellor, the longer our people will have to wait after the war is over before their voices will once again have proper sway in the Senate. This is their right. Who are we to take that away from them? If we truly claim to represent the people of the Galaxy, why are we voting to silence their voices? Democracy is about the rule of the people. All people. They trust us to be their voice and we have a responsibility to them that transcends this war and whatever outcome comes after. We _must_ vote against this motion. For the sake of liberty, for the sake of democracy, and most importantly, for the sake of our people.'

The great room echoed with applause and Padmé took a step back.

'Senator Amidala's optimism is to be admired,' drawled one of the representatives of the Trade Federation. His platform hovered into the middle of the floor. 'But ultimately, speculation on the possible duration of the war will get us nowhere. How close are Republic forces to capturing Grievous? It could take years. The Jedi have failed so far. We cannot put our faith in them to end this war. We must have strong leadership. Chancellor Palpatine has not lead us astray yet. Or are you saying you do not trust in the Chancellor, Senator?'

'Of course I'm not saying that!' Padmé protested, though it was partially a lie. 'It does not matter who holds the position of Supreme Chancellor. If democracy is one of the casualties of this war, then we are all lost, no matter who leads us!'

'The words of an idealist!' countered the Senator for Malastare. 'We are at war! Those sentiments are not practical!'

Padmé fumed, but outwardly kept cool. 'At this stage we cannot afford to be short-sighted. Surely you all see this. How many more changes to the constitution can democracy survive?'

'Senators! That is enough.' The Chancellor spoke for the first time. 'I do not pretend to enjoy the powers you give me. I want an end to this war as soon as you all do. I promise that as soon as the war comes to an end, I will do the right thing for the Republic and for the people of this galaxy. Senator Amidala is right in that respect - the people are the most important thing and a swift end to the war is what is best for our people. Let me end it.'

As an even greater round of enthusiastic applause swept the chamber, Padmé didn't need Anakin's foresight to know they had already lost.

The Senate was released for a few hours to deliberate and Padmé walked wearily back to her office to think. When she arrived, she found a datapad waiting on her desk. Curiously, she took it and opened it, reading it through quickly, brown eyes widening.

'Oh no.'

* * *

'Have you seen this?' Padmé demanded as soon as Bail Organa's office door was pulled open.

'Padmé, what is it?' It wasn't Bail, but one of the other Loyalists, Senator Mon Mothma.

'Have you read the bill? Have you actually read it?'

'Of course,' Mon replied. Organa stepped up behind her.

'Then you know that this move will give the Chancellor executive powers over the Jedi Council?'

'I believe that clause was added this morning,' Mon admitted. 'I've poured over this bill for weeks, but that clause was new.'

There were a small group of them, Padmé realised, standing and talking in low voices. Something that wasn't uncommon this close to a vote, especially among allies.

'Why would he do that, though?' Padmé asked. 'What does he have to gain from it?'

'Many of us see it as a good move, Senator,' a Senator interjected. 'The Jedi are powerful, and in charge of our military, no less. It would be seen as a good thing if the Jedi were answerable to something other than their own Order. Even better if they were tied more closely to the Republic.'

'I'm surprised something like this hasn't been suggested before,' another chimed in.

'The Jedi have always been loyal to the Republic,' Padmé countered.

'Tell that to Count Dooku,' someone snorted. 'Or that creature that killed Master Qui-Gon on Naboo.'

'Both of those are dead,' Padmé pointed out. 'And they were Sith, not Jedi.'

'Padmé, please,' Organa spoke up. 'Do not bring this up in debate. You are tied too closely with the Jedi as it is. The more you protest against this, the more people will question your loyalty.'

'My loyalties have always been clear,' Padmé replied. 'I see no conflict between supporting the Jedi and being loyal to the Republic.'

'The opposition will not see it that way, even though we do,' Bail replied with a heavy sigh. 'You made a good speech today. I suggest we leave our arguments at that.'

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, we will return to Anakin, Obi-Wan and Yoda (and the plot) next chapter!


	5. The Chancellor's Representative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Council Makes a decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so busy dealing with the attention this story is getting on ff.net that I might have forgotten to update on here, so there will be a bit of a mass update as I get this story up-to-date with the ff.net one.

 

'Master Yoda, you wanted to see me?' Obi-Wan asked as he was lead into a meditation chamber by the Grandmaster.

'Yes, Master Kenobi. Our conversation from last week, I wish to continue. Some interesting developments, there have been.' Yoda settled himself on one of the large circular seats that dotted the room. Obi-Wan did the same, facing the older Jedi.

'What developments?'

'Surrounds the Chancellor, the Dark Side does. Feel it too, you can?' Yoda looked genuinely interested in Obi-Wan's opinion, so Obi-Wan thought for a moment. Before last week, his interactions with the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic had been rather limited, thanks to Obi-Wan's assignment as a General on the battlefront. But then during the rescue mission, he had sensed something odd. There _was_ something something different about the Chancellor. Subtle enough he was sure no one would have been able to feel it if they had spent time with the man often, the same way it was sometimes difficult to comprehend how much a child has grown without an extended absence beforehand. Sure, they had been on a Separatist ship with a Sith Lord, General grievous and countless battle droids while a full-scale battle raged around them, but there had been a dark sense of foreboding permeating the Force that hadn't left Obi-Wan until he'd reached the Jedi Temple. Then, with the revelation of the nature of Dooku's death, the feeling had returned, as if the two were connected.

'Yes, Master. I sense it too,' Obi-Wan agreed.

'Clouded our senses the Dark Side has. No way to tell whether influenced by the Dark Side the Chancellor is, or influencing it himself.'

'Master Yoda, I hardly think the Chancellor has any power over the Force,' Obi-Wan protested. 'Surely you would have sensed _something_ if that was the case?'

Yoda thought pensively for a moment and then shook his green and white head. 'The presence of your former padawan, Palpatine has requested,' he informed Obi-Wan. 'More to their relationship than we first thought, there may be.'

'Anakin and Palpatine have always had a friendly relationship, Master,' Obi-Wan admitted. 'Anakin looks up to him.'

'A powerful Jedi young Skywalker is,' Yoda mused gravely. 'If too close to the Dark Side he gets, a powerful enemy he would make.'

Obi-Wan sat back in askance. 'Anakin would never!' he protested. 'He's unconventional, yes, but he is a good Jedi.'

'Much like your former master, he is in this respect, but incorruptible he is not,' Yoda warned. 'Against the Jedi way, Count Dooku's death was.'

'Master Yoda, Count Dooku was a dangerous adversary,' Obi-Wan countered. 'Killing him did the Republic a service.'

'And yet, killed in the heat of battle he was not. A conscious decision to end his life, Skywalker made.'

Obi-Wan eyed Yoda cautiously. 'Anakin's heart is in the right place,' he began. 'He truly cares about the Republic and the Jedi Order, even if he does not always act in accordance with some of our mandates.'

'Know this, I do,' Yoda acknowledged, which made Obi-Wan feel a little better. 'But Skywalker's friendship with Palpatine... Concerning it is.'

'So what do you suggest we do?' Obi-Wan asked.

The tips of Yoda's ears drooped slightly as he thought.

'Alert the Chancellor to our suspicions, we must not. Allow the meeting we must. A dangerous pair Skywalker and Palpatine make. Watch them closely, you will.'

Obi-Wan understood.

_Keep your friends close..._

* * *

Anakin's mind was still reeling from his meeting with Palpatine. A position on the Council... It was an honour. It was more than that - it was a privilege, and one that Anakin had wanted to work towards for sometime in the future. It seemed the future was happening today.

It didn't matter to him that his appointment had yet to be agreed to by the Council. They would not like it, he knew, especially Master Windu, but they would not directly defy the Chancellor's appointment... he hoped. Anakin knew that Master Windu did not trust him, and as one of the Masters of the Order, his word carried substantial weight. The prospect dampened his mood a little.

Anakin waited anxiously outside the council chambers and spent the time until he was called into an audience with the council trying to expel his nervous energy. He would _not_ look like an out of control youngling in front of the council. This was an important moment for him. No one was going to ruin it. Least of all himself.

Light meditation helped a little, releasing his anxiety into the Force like Obi-Wan had trained him to do, but it only took the edge off his emotions. Still, it helped him regain some control.

The doors to the council chambers opened and Anakin was invited inside by Obi-Wan, a curious look on the Jedi Master's face. He didn't know what was going on.

'Young Skywalker,' Yoda greeted him. Anakin knew the Grandmaster didn't mean to be condescending - everyone must seem young to him - but that didn't mean the epithet didn't grate. At least General Skywalker or Master Skywalker, or just Anakin made him sound like he was more than a padawan. "Young Skywalker" wasn't respected.

'News, you bring us, from Chancellor Palpatine?' Yoda asked.

Anakin swallowed and nodded. 'Yes, Master,' he replied. 'The Chancellor wishes for me to be appointed his representative on the Jedi Council.'

A variety of reactions coloured the Force in the room, ranging from polite surprise to an outrage that made Anakin wince inwardly. He looked to Obi-Wan for his reaction. Obi-Wan watched silently, outwardly cool and giving nothing away, but Anakin had grown up with the man. In his eyes he could see what was probably a more-than-healthy dose of surprise and concern, but also something that looked a little like... pride. It was against a Jedi's nature to be proud, but the idea made Anakin feel a little better.

Yoda didn't react at all. He had known before Anakin had said anything, he knew it.

'Allow this appointment lightly, the Council does not,' Yoda said finally, after the reactions faded into silence. 'Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine.'

If Anakin wasn't mistaken, he would have sworn Yoda and Obi-Wan shared a look, but the connection was gone before he could make any sense of it.

'You're on as council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master.' It was Mace Windu. Anakin grit his teeth. He knew the Jedi was going to throw a hydrospanner in the works, but he hadn't expected _this_.

He was about to open his mouth to protest at the _insult_ , a building rage fuelling his desire to retort, when Yoda spoke up. 'A gifted Jedi, you are, Anakin. Powerful, yes, but young for this important role you are.' This time, he definitely looked at Master Windu. 'Decisions such as this, the Council does not make lightly,' he continued. 'Discuss how to proceed, we must.'

Once again, Anakin was sent outside to wait.

The deliberations took less than five minutes, but they might as well have been five days for all Anakin could tell. The possibility of being on the Council and _not_ being a Master was insulting, belittling and an unprecedented lack of respect. It would make his voice almost non-existent, a member of the council as a mascot only, just to please the Chancellor. The very thought made his blood boil. He _refused_ to be a pawn in their political games.

Finally the doors opened once again, and Obi-wan stood there, silhouetted against the afternoon light.

'Take a seat, Master Skywalker,' he said.

Anakin was sure the man was hiding a smirk behind his beard. 'You changed Windu's mind?' he asked quietly. Obi-Wan nodded almost imperceptibly, but it was enough for Anakin. He managed to suppress a grin as he sat down, but it took a lot of effort.

* * *

' _You're in a good mood tonight, Anakin.'_

' _It was like you said, Chancellor. They accepted me into the Council. I'm a Master now.'_

' _Congratulations, Master Skywalker. Come closer, I have good news. Our clone intelligence units have discovered the location of General Grievous. He's hiding in the Utapau system. I would be surprised if the Jedi Council didn't select you for this assignment. You're the best choice by far. Sit down.'_

_A moment of silence, then..._

' _Anakin, you know I can't rely on the Jedi Council.'_

' _I'm not sure I understand.'_

' _You must sense what I have come to suspect. The Jedi Council want control of the Republic.'_

' _I don't think that-'_

' _Anakin. Search your feelings. You know, don't you?'_

' _I know they don't trust you.'_

' _Hmmm. Or the Senate. Or the Republic. Or democracy for that matter.'_

' _Chancellor, I really-'_

' _Remember back to your early teachings. All who gain power are afraid to lose it. Even the Jedi.'_

' _The Jedi use their power for good.'_

' _Good is a point of view, Anakin. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way.'_ How does he know? ' _Including their quest for greater power.'_

' _The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inwards, only about themselves.'_

' _And the Jedi don't?'_

' _The Jedi are selfless, they only care about others.'_

_Another pause._

' _Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?'_

' _No.'_

' _I didn't think so. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. Darth Plagueis the Wise was a Sith lord so powerful and so wise, he could even influence the midichlorians to create life.'_

_Like Anakin, supposedly "fatherless"._

' _He had such a knowledge of the dark side he could even stop the ones he cared about from dying.'_

_Padmé..._

' _He could actually save people from death?'_

_Another pensive pause._

' _The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.'_

* * *

Anakin woke with a start. Even in his sleep, he had been turning over his conversation with the Chancellor from the previous night.

This was it. This was way to save Padmé.


	6. To Utapau

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Facing General Grievous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm in a good mood because I just past a huge milestone on where I'm up to in pre-writing this story (in more ways than one!) so I'm celebrating by putting up Chapter 6 as a special treat.  
> So, as always, this chapter is dedicated especially to all those who reviewed, favourited or followed so far - you guys make my day every single time!  
> Enjoy, lovelies!  
> (Oh, and this is a longer one!)

The Jedi High Council sat in their circle in the council chambers as Anakin relayed the news.

'Confirmed, the location of Grievous is?' Yoda asked.

Anakin nodded. 'Apparently. The Chancellor has requested that I go there and deal with him personally.'

'The Council will decide who goes, Master Skywalker, not the Chancellor,' Windu said with his typical bluntness. Anakin had half a mind to demand what his deal was, but managed to hold his tongue. That was not the sort of argument he wanted to have on record.

'Think on this, we will. Suggestions, have you, anyone?'

'An experienced Master should go,' said Ki-Adi-Mundi. 'Someone such as Master Kenobi.'

'Send two, I think,' Yoda suggested. 'A powerful adversary Grievous is. Afford to underestimate him, we cannot.'

'Master Yoda, we cannot afford to spare two Jedi,' Mace protested. 'We don't have the forces.'

'Master Kenobi,' Yoda said, turning to Obi-Wan. 'Nominated, you have been. An opinion, you have?'

'Master, if you wish for me to go, I will do so gladly,' Obi-Wan replied after a thoughtful moment. 'If I am to go, I will bring my clones with me. However, I would prefer to bring another Jedi as backup in case things go wrong.'

'Master Kenobi, are you saying you are not confident in your ability to capture or kill General Grievous?' Mace raised an eyebrow.

'Of course not, Master Windu,' Obi-Wan replied, though Anakin caught his eyes flicking to Yoda for a moment. 'I am merely being cautious. All I am suggesting is sacrificing efficiency in numbers for efficiency in speed. The longer Grievous is loose in this galaxy, the longer the war will drag on.'

'A sound argument,' Master Tiin acknowledged.

'Very well,' Master Windu sighed. 'If we are all in agreement, the Council will send Master Kenobi and another to Utapau to hunt down Grievous.'

Everyone in the Council agreed.

'Who will go with me?' Obi-Wan asked when the vote was cast.

'If Master Kenobi is leading this mission, it makes sense to send Skywalker,' Master Plo Koon's holo pointed out. 'They have taken on Grievous together before.'

'Master Windu should go,' Master Fisto argued. 'He has more experience.'

'Duties on Coruscant Master Windu has to perform, Master Fisto,' Yoda argued. 'Go on this mission, he cannot.'

'Skywalker was nominated by the Chancellor,' Mace argued. Anakin glared at him, though the Jedi Master didn't see it. 'I don't trust the Chancellor's intentions.'

'By placating the Chancellor, reduce his interest in the Council, we may,' Yoda mused. 'Clouded the Chancellor's plans are from us. Let them play out, we could.'

'I don't like this,' Windu growled. 'The Chancellor is getting too close.'

'The Chancellor hasn't done anything wrong!' Anakin protested. Obi-Wan sent him a _shut-up-if-you-want-to-stay_ look, which Anakin ignored. 'He hasn't revealed any plans for Utapau to me, so how could I carry them out?'

'We never said you would,' Windu argued.

'But you're thinking it, aren't you, Master Windu? I can sense your distrust in me.'

Every eye on the council moved from Anakin to Mace and back.

'We'll vote on it,' Mace said finally with a tired sigh. 'All those in favour of allowing Skywalker to accompany Master Kenobi to Utapau?'

* * *

'I'm going away again for a while,' Anakin announced.

Padmé watched him warily for a moment, trying to gauge his reaction to his own news. He held himself a little nervously, full of the sort of energy a Jedi didn't normally possess, but there was an excitement - no, a hunger - for the mission that gave Padmé reason to believe this was important. Which means...

'You're going after Grievous, aren't you?' She wished the sense of dread she felt at the plausibility of her question would go away.

'I am... assisting Obi-Wan in his mission to Utapau where Grievous is thought to be located,' he replied diplomatically, something he wasn't very often. Padmé nodded and looked down. She didn't need to be Force-sensitive to be able to sense his thirst for Grievous's blood, perhaps even better than he could himself. But then maybe she was imagining things. She had been doing that a lot lately. 'Hey,' he murmured quietly, lifting her chin so she would look at him. She hadn't heard him cross the room. 'Don't worry about me. With Grievous gone, the war will end.'

He smiled. It was a smile she'd never seen on anyone else; hooded eyes alight, lips quirked in what she wanted to call a shy smile except the rest of his face spoke of nothing if not confidence. It was love and danger and mischief and thrilling and terrifying and sexy at the same time and she loved it because it was the only expression he wore that was as much of a contradiction as he was and she was the only one who seemed to be able to decipher it. Except...

'Anakin, just don't lose _you_ out there,' she whispered and hoped he understood. War forced people to do things against their nature. It changed everyone who fought it. Padmé knew she wasn't immune. She fought her own war in the Senate. She didn't want to lose Anakin to the battle and the bloodlust. He was a good - if unconventional - Jedi and, more importantly, a good person. She wouldn't have married him otherwise. 'I can't lose you out there.'

'Padmé,' he said, and for once his expression turned sombre. 'I'm not going to die.'

'I know,' Padmé replied, and she meant it. 'But that's not what I'm worried about.'

* * *

The main hangar of the cruiser was a flurry of activity. Anakin stood amongst it, issuing orders and planning the assault ahead. The end of the war was close, he could feel it - they all could. The clones worked with a renewed vigor that was infectious. They were a pragmatic group, Obi-Wan's unwavering solidity and presence of mind rubbing off on them all - especially the higher ranking ones like Commander Cody. He wasn't Captain Rex, Anakin's second in command when he was fighting with the 501st, until recently, that is, but he was definitely capable.

'Sir!' One of the clones called in their direction. Anakin and Cody were rechecking supplies of ammunition and fuel before docking, as Obi-Wan had requested. There was no leaving anything to chance.

'What is it?' Anakin asked. The clone ran up to them and pointed towards where Obi-Wan's fighter was pulling into dock. 'Right.'

Anakin ran towards the fighter and the astromech at the helm. This must mean there was news from Obi-Wan. R4 beeped a flurry of information.

'Sir, what is it?' Cody asked, coming up from behind.

'Obi-Wan's made contact,' Anakin explained, a smile spreading across his face. 'I'm going down there. Wait for the signal before you drop down on us.'

'But, sir! We had orders to wait!' Cody protested.

'Yep!' Anakin called over his shoulder, already climbing into his own fighter. 'I'll see you on the other side, Commander!' Anakin saluted with two fingers to his scarred eyebrow as his ship rose off the hangar floor and disappeared into space.

* * *

Obi-Wan watched the Separatist meeting from above, face darkened by the hood of his cloak.

'It won't be long before the armies of the Republic track us here,' the cyborg general Grievous wheezed, pacing in front of a council of Separatist leaders - including the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, the fugitive Nute Gunray. That would be addressed later, after the war was over. 'I am sending you to the Mustafar system in the Outer Rim,' Grievous continued. _Thanks for that tidbit of information_ , Obi-Wan thought. 'It is a volcanic planet. You shall be safe there.'

Obi-Wan spotted the perfect place to drop down from, when the time was right to confront Grievous, and he nudged the varactyl he sat astride, a large green lizard like creature with an impressive crown of green and blue feathers, into place.

' _Safe?_ ' the Trade Federation representative scoffed, standing in his anger. 'Chancellor Palpatine managed to escape your grip, General. Without Count Dooku, I have doubts about your ability to keep us _safe_.'

Obi-Wan slid silently off the gentle giant's back and patted its neck as he crouched to get a better view of the meeting below.

'Be thankful, Viceroy, that you have not found _yourself_ in my grip,' Grievous retorted, standing directly in front of Viceroy Gunray. 'Your ship awaits.'

The Separatists began to leave, but Obi-Wan made no move to follow. He knew where the Separatists were headed, and Grievous was his target. Once the various representatives had departed, Grievous was left, a hunched, solitary figure in the large built-up cave, though he was not technically alone. This was it. This was the time. Grievous would not give up the opportunity to defeat Obi-Wan in single combat, and so the large numbers of battle droids and MagnaGuards were nothing to worry about - at least until backup arrived and then Anakin and Cody could deal with them.

Secure in that knowledge, Obi-Wan did not feel at all reckless when he took in a breath and jumped.

* * *

Anakin landed lightly on one of the landing platforms that jutted from the sheer rock face of the Utapauan city, listening intently for any signs of alarm. He had been sure no one had seen him and indeed, there was not a sound coming from anywhere in the vicinity. Grievous was definitely here. With a slight smirk, the Jedi looked up. Some thirty or forty metres directly above the landing platform, there was a small ridge jutting out of the sheer rock face, where R2 and his ship were nestled. The yellow and grey Jedi Starfighter was hidden safely out of sight.

For once, Anakin Skywalker found in himself the desire to be sneaky, opting for the strategy of making his way down through the levels, searching out droids, Grievous and, most importantly, Obi-Wan, before he could get himself killed or into yet another mess Anakin would have to haul his unconscious ass out of.

It wasn't that Anakin didn't have faith in his old Master's abilities, there had never been any doubt that Obi-Wan Kenobi was a powerful and talented Jedi Master. It was just that the older man had a habit of getting into trouble that rivalled Anakin's own (and really, since Obi-Wan effectively raised Anakin since the age of 9, that shouldn't be surprising). However, it was Anakin's talent for getting them _out_ of trouble, usually with a lightsaber or two and a harebrained plan (or, more often, the lack of one), that far surpassed his best friend.

A small squad of battle droids clattered past, on the opposite side of the ship Anakin was crouched behind. He didn't have much time. Cody would be leaving for Utapau soon, the Republic fleet dropping out of hyperspace over their heads, and Anakin still had to find Obi-Wan. He spotted a pile of crates on the far end of the platform. With little concentration and a flick of his wrist the topmost crate toppled onto the stone floor with a crash.

'What was that?' the mechanical voice of a battle droid asked and the troop hurried over in the opposite direction to Anakin's hiding place. Too easy.

By the time they thought to look back, Anakin was long gone.

* * *

'Hello there,' Obi-Wan smirked. The MagnaGuards flanking Grievous spun around at the sound of his voice, staffs igniting on each end in a buzz of purple energy. The droid general took a little longer to turn to face the intruder, but Obi-Wan suspected it was for show, rather than slow reflexes.

'General Kenobi,' the cyborg wheezed. 'You _are_ a bold one.' He backed away and allowed his MagnaGuards to step between himself and the Jedi Master. 'Kill him,' he ordered. The MagnaGuards made to oblige, advancing on Obi-Wan with purpose. The Jedi took on a fighting stance, lightsaber blade ignited and at eye-level, other arm outstretched for perfect balance and smirked, something else catching his eye. He relaxed out of his stance and raised his free hand further, calling on the Force and bringing down a large overhanging piece of the metal structure that supported the stone walls down on the heads of the MagnaGuards, crushing all but one to dust. The remaining one, lower half of it's body trapped under the pile of metal, tried to reach its staff, but Obi-Wan despatched it without even looking. He stepped over the charred and twisted remains of the droid and stood in front of Grievous, even as the countless battle droids around him all took aim in unison.

'Back away,' Grievous ordered his droid army. He stood taller, losing some of his hunched posture and if he'd had a mouth that moved, he probably would have smiled, judging by the satisfaction in his organic eyes. 'I will deal with this Jedi slime myself.'

Obi-Wan allowed himself to smirk, betraying a quiet confidence that was only half for show. 'Your move.'

Grievous removed his cloak with a shrug of his metal shoulders. 'You fool,' he said, mechanical voice sounding obscenely satisfied. 'I have been trained in the Jedi arts by Count Dooku.' As the black cloth fell to the floor, Grievous uncrossed his arms with a clinking of metal to reveal not one, but four lightsabers. His arms separated, until he became a six-limbed beast, a lightsaber in each of his four hands. The lightsabers ignited, two green and two blue. Trophies from fallen Jedi. The droid general pointed all four tips at Obi-Wan. 'Attack, Kenobi!'

Something moved in the metal rafters high above, something dark and humanoid in shape. Obi-Wan smirked and returned to his earlier battle stance.

Grievous advanced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was originally going to be the first half of the chapter, but it got so long, I decided to cut it in half - hence ending it there.


	7. Battle on Utapau

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin gets trigger-happy

Anakin watched from the shadows, itching to drop down and fight at Obi-Wan's side. General Grievous was between him and Obi-Wan now, brandishing two of the lightsabers he apparently not only collected, but knew how to use, with an intimidating speed thanks to his mechanical arms. Absently, Anakin wondered if he should get an arm that did that. He could almost picture it, spinning his blade at such a speed it became an impregnable blur. Grievous was doing just that, blades skimming the floor and scarring it with an angry molten orange glow, marking his path on either side.

Obi-Wan had yet to make a move, mirroring Grievous's advance by backing up away from the onslaught. Anakin wasn't too worried - yet - deciding Obi-Wan's move would be his signal. As soon as he dropped down from his hiding place, the droids would see him and start shooting, potentially distracting Grievous enough that it could work in their favour or... well, not.

The gap between Grievous and Obi-Wan was closing fast. Anakin tensed, waiting...

Obi-Wan's blue blade was thrust forward, meeting Grievous's and ceasing their screeching arcs through the air.

Anakin dropped down, divesting himself of his robes as he fell and landing lightly and silently on his feet behind a group of battle droids. They didn't have the opportunity to turn to face him before they were decommissioned by his lightsaber. Blaster bolts flew in his direction, but they were brushed aside by a sweep of his blade as Anakin ran towards the real battle. Grievous was already missing one hand - and consequently, one lightsaber - and though it didn't slow him down, it evened the odds a little. Anakin leaped high in the air, a deadly arc of black and glowing blue and landed behind Grievous, blade raised for a killing blow, but at the last second, Grievous spun, parrying Anakin's strike easily and pushing him back.

Anakin couldn't have that.

Grievous and Obi-Wan were exchanging blows again and Obi-Wan was being forced back a little.

Anakin jumped again, high and fast, turning in mid air so he could land a blow on Grievous as he passed over him, but again Grievous parried. At the same time, Obi-Wan attacked, and another one of Grievous's mechanical hands clattered down the gangway they had found themselves on to the stone floor meters below.

In unison, and now side-by-side, Anakin and Obi-Wan went on the offensive, forcing Grievous to parry their considerable combined strength. Grievous did so, but it didn't last long, the cyborg just managing to push them off him, far enough they could all straighten and regroup.

The blaster fire began again, and Anakin and Obi-Wan shared almost identical smirks as Grievous was distracted by the sudden turn of events. Or, more accurately, the Republic ships that had descended on the hangar, clone troopers cascading down in a flurry of red and blue bolts. Commander Cody had arrived.

Grievous swiftly returned his attention to the two Jedi, glaring at them with loathing. 'Army or not, you must realise, you are doomed.'

Anakin sent an incredulous look in Obi-Wan's direction. Obi-Wan, to his credit, didn't return his gaze, completely focused on his adversary. Still, the confidence remained, and the arrival of the clones had definitely swung the mood of the battle in their favour.

'Oh, I don't think so,' Obi-Wan replied and sent Grievous flying up and into the rafters before he plummeted to the ground.

Obi-Wan ran after him, jumping down as Grievous scuttled, insect like, towards a transport. They had him on the run.

Anakin followed without hesitation, though he and Obi-Wan were nearly plowed down by Grievous as he attempted to escape. They jumped down to the gangway below and Obi-Wan whistled.

With a screech a varactyl skidded to a halt below them. 'Come on, Anakin!' Obi-Wan yelled and dropped down into the saddle.

'Yes Master!' Anakin dropped down behind him and they jerked forward in pursuit of Grievous. They were heading towards a dangerous looking drop. Somehow, Grievous had accomplished it, because he was now speeding down the very sheer roof some fifty meters below. It was a _huge_ drop, but the varactyl managed it, Anakin and Obi-Wan leaning back so far they were practically standing upright to compensate for the angle as they slid down after Grievous. A jolt from the creature below them wrenched Obi-Wan's lightsaber out of his hand as it flung out for balance, and neither Jedi could do anything about it as it plummeted out of sight.

'Master! Obi-Wan!' Anakin yelled as Grievous's transport leaped through the air and landed on an earthy opening in the circular cliff face.

'I'm alright!' Obi-Wan yelled back as he directed the varactyl into a sharp turn so they could follow. 'I see him!'

They skidded onto the dirt of the opening and plunged into the rock, hot on the general's tail. The path was winding and allowed them to catch up until they were neck and neck. Obi-Wan pulled them in close and, now they were on flat ground, Anakin began pulling himself up so he could balance himself on the varactyl's hindquarters and draw his lightsaber.

'What are you doing?' Obi-Wan screamed. 'Don't be an idiot!'

'Have you got a better idea?' Anakin replied, overbalancing a little, but managing to right himself. Grievous, armed with a MagnaGuard's staff, brandished it at them.

Obi-Wan cursed and transferred the reins to his left hand, leaving his right free to reach out and grab the staff from Grievous on his next try at hitting either of them. After the second attempt, he managed it, and began pulling at it, wrestling with Grievous for the weapon. A particularly large jolt sent Anakin back to a seated position again with a wince, and he hurriedly sheathed his lightsaber before he could cut Obi-Wan's outstretched arm off. Grievous pulled harder and Obi-Wan, realising he couldn't stop it, jumped instead, landing on the transport with Grievous.

'Obi-Wan!' Anakin yelled. The varactyl slowed abruptly, the force of it shoving Anakin forward in his seat.

'Take the reins!' Obi-Wan called. Anakin did as he was bidden and set out after the two again. Grievous pulled out a blaster and tried shooting at Obi-Wan over his shoulder, but missed, nearly hitting Anakin instead. The Jedi Master ducked and drew his lightsaber to deflect more shots, but he couldn't aim them properly with Obi-Wan in the way.

They were heading towards another drop, one of the landing platforms Anakin had seen on his arrival. They were all moving so fast, a trickle of fear that they would plummet to their deaths wormed into Anakin's mind and he slowed, hoping that if he wasn't falling, then at least he could save Obi-Wan.

As it turned out, he didn't need to. With a final shot, Grievous's transport toppled over and spilled its passengers out onto the floor, Obi-Wan scrambling to get the staff. Grievous raised his weapon and shot, but it missed as Obi-Wan swept it out of the general's hand with the staff, completing the move with a solid blow to Grievous's chest that only seemed to make him angry. Anakin leaped from the back of his steed, lightsaber raised and landed a few meters away from the fight as Obi-Wan came at Grievous again, this time sending the droid general onto his back. Obi-Wan took advantage, plunging the staff into Grievous's chest, but the general just kicked Obi-Wan away. The Jedi Master landed on his back with a crunch, the staff flying from his grip. Grievous was on his feet in an instant, and Anakin leaped again, blade raised, but the general just spun and one of his metal arms impacted with Anakin's chest, sending him flying into a docked ship.

It bought Obi-Wan the time he needed, though. As Anakin tried to get his lungs to work again, Obi-wan called the staff back into his hand. It lit up at his touch and Grievous took a swing at Obi-Wan's head, now unarmed, but not much less deadly. Obi-Wan ducked the first blow and parried the second, returning with an attack of his own.

Anakin managed to scramble into a standing position as Grievous went down again. As the cyborg fell, his legs swept under Obi-Wan's ankles, too quick to dodge, and Obi-Wan was sent sprawling too. Grievous recovered quicker and kicked the staff away and over the edge, moving towards Anakin with malice in his eyes.

Anakin drew his weapon and made to charge as Grievous closed the gap with a hand grabbing a fistfull of Anakin's tunic and raising him in the air. Anakin dropped his lightsaber in favour of using both hands to push Grievous off him, due to the proximity and the angle of the cyborg general's attack. For grip, he grabbed part of Grievous' chestplate in each hand as Grievous reacquainted the back of Anakin's head with the hull of the ship he still had his back to. Anakin blinked stars out of his eyes and wrenched his hands apart, still holding on to Grievous. The cyborg yelled in pain as what was probably the only thing organic left in him was exposed. Furious, Grievous, whose hands were still fisted in Anakin's tunic, threw him towards the edge of the platform. As Anakin tumbled over, Obi-Wan appeared behind Grievous.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan yelled as Anakin disappeared. Thinking fast, Anakin thrust his right hand out and grabbed hold of the edge before he could fall, still recovering from the pounding his head had received from the ship. He swung his left hand up and gripped the ledge, ignoring the yawning space between him and the shimmering blue lake far, _far_ below.

Obi-Wan was taking on Grievous by himself, both of them were unarmed.

'Obi-Wan!' Anakin yelled and risked letting go of the ledge to point towards the ship and what lay on the floor beneath it. His lightsaber. Obi-Wan understood and it had flown into his hand within moments, the blue blade erupting from the hilt between Obi-Wan and Grievous.

Obi-Wan swung at the cyborg, forcing him back towards the edge, where Anakin was still hanging, struggling to climb back up onto solid ground. Grievous ducked another of Obi-Wan's swings and looked around for the MagnaGuard's staff, before he seemed to remember that it was gone. Obi-Wan stabbed forward and the general staggered back a little, but all three of them could see that Obi-Wan was suddenly holding back.

Something black and at eye-level caught Anakin's attention.

'You wouldn't kill an unarmed man, would you?' Grievous sneered, sidestepping slightly and turning them back away from the edge. Obi-Wan followed, weapon raised, but made no move to disprove the cyborg general.

'No,' Anakin said from behind Obi-Wan and Grievous' eyes widened in fear. 'But _I_ would.'

Too late, the General realised his mistake in turning away from Anakin. The Jedi had the perfect shot. Obi-Wan leaped backwards and Anakin, armed with the blaster previously forgotten in the heat of the battle, shot once, twice, three times at Grievous's chest.

The droid General howled, chest aflame, as his body was consumed. Everything organic was burning up; his organs a charred mess, his eyes burning out of their sockets as he screamed and finally fell, first to his knees and then all the way down, where he moved no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, Obi-Wan for taking the glory from you, but at least you still have a soul. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter - I seem to alternate between loving and hating it with each read, but oh well. It gets the point across, I hope.


	8. Order 66

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sith hits the fan.

Chancellor Palpatine glowered under his cowl, watching the Coruscanti skyline as the people of this world and the galaxy it controlled went about their business, oblivious to what was about to happen. What _he_ was going to make happen.

A knock on the door.

'Enter.'

'Your Excellency, we have received word from Utapau. Grievous is dead.' Mas Amedda entered the room, watching closely for his Chancellor's reaction.

_A little soon... He needed more time..._

The Chancellor nodded. 'How?'

Amedda paused. 'He was killed by the Jedi, my Lord.'

'Which one?'

'Master Skywalker, I believe, though the reports are giving Master Kenobi the credit.'

_Excellent._

'Then perhaps this exercise has yielded results after all,' the Chancellor mused. He finally turned to face his adviser. 'Contact Lama Su. Tell him to put the contingency in place. The Jedi have deviated from the plan. I will not leave anything to chance.'

Amedda bowed low. 'As you wish.' He exited quietly, obeying the dismissal. After a moment, the Chancellor followed. He would not give up the emergency powers given to him by the Senate and the Jedi would come to arrest him. The old man smiled.

He would be waiting.

* * *

'Master Yoda, you wished to speak with me?'

'Master Windu, heard the news, have you?' the holo of Jedi Grandmaster Yoda looked pensive, elsewhere.

Mace nodded. 'Yes, Master. Grievous is dead. There is nothing left of the Separatist leadership. The war is all but over.'

'Careful we must be now,' Yoda instructed. 'Dangerous times lie ahead. Surrounds the Chancellor the Dark Side does. Discussed this before, we have. Decide our next move, his actions will.'

'I understand, Master,' Mace agreed. 'Is this why you kept me here on Coruscant?'

Yoda nodded. 'Necessary was removing Skywalker from the Chancellor's proximity, and trust this task to no one else, I do.'

'Master?'

'Go to the Senate, you must. Find out if under the influence of the Sith, the Chancellor is.'

Mace frowned. 'The Dark Side has clouded our judgement. What makes you think we can sense the Sith now?'

'Sense the Sith, we cannot. But monitor the Chancellor's actions we can,' Yoda replied.

Mace nodded. 'And if the Chancellor does not immediately give back his emergency powers, then we know we are correct,' he finished.

'If give back the emergency powers, the Chancellor does not, arrest him, you must.'

* * *

Palpatine surveyed the damage done to his office with a grimace of satisfaction. The Jedi had walked right into his trap. Unfortunately, one Jedi still remained out of his reach. Decades of planning had gone into this moment, and he was determined to see it through.

'Your Excellency?' Amedda queried. 'What do you wish to do now?'

'We proceed as planned,' the Chancellor replied, pulling his hood over his now deformed face. His true face. 'The Jedi will be labelled traitors, hunted down and exterminated.'

'But, Your Excellency!' Amedda protested. 'Skywalker was not there to-'

'I will come up with some other explanation for the deaths of the Jedi, do not concern yourself with that. However, we mustn't waste any time.' The Chancellor called on the Force and a lightsaber flew into his palm. It wasn't his own, this one was a Jedi's weapon, the crystal inside, a Jedi's, aligned with the light, but perhaps it was fitting for what he planned to do with it. At any rate, it would serve his purpose until his own could be retrieved.

Ideally, he would have no need of it until later, and a new Sith would move against the Jedi whilst he stayed under the guise of Palpatine, turning the public view in their favour. However, he had no new Sith, yet, and he had no time to waste. As soon as the Jedi found out the proximity of Darth Sidious, the Temple would be swarming with the Jedi scum.

'See that no one disturbs my office until I return,' the Chancellor ordered.

Amedda nodded and, not for the first time, the Chancellor was amused by the slime's selfish ability to not ask unpleasant questions. 'Yes, my Lord.'

'Has the contingency been put in place?'

'Just as you requested, my Lord.'

'Good. I have no more need of you tonight. Leave me.'

As the advisor took his leave, the Chancellor opened up a communications channel.

'Commander Cody. The time has come. Execute Order 66.'

* * *

'Anakin, we need to talk.'

Anakin looked down at his former master with his signature smirk. It belied the fact that he'd rather never have the conversation Obi-Wan was so obviously wanting to. 'Can this wait until after we win?' he asked, dismounting from the varactyl and allowing Obi-Wan to take his place.

Obi-Wan had been discussing strategy with Commander Cody, who now stood silently between the two Jedi Masters, while Anakin, astride his mount, weaved about the battle raging around them, mobilising the local Utapauan warriors against the Confederate army. A mortar explosion punctuated Anakin's question and Obi-Wan conceded the point for now.

'Fine,' he sighed. 'But we do need to talk. And you're following me,' he added as a clone trooper lead another veractyl towards them. This one seemed to be a little more skittish than Obi-Wan's, but it was transport. 'Come on!'

Anakin mounted his veractyl and grinned. 'Yes master.'

They rode upwards, the veractyls' ability to climb the small tracks that criss-crossed the sheer rock face of the sinkholes that housed the Utapauan city far surpassing any Republic - or Seperatist - transport their engineers had to offer. With every round of cannon fire Anakin's veractyl shuddered, but never once were they close to falling so Anakin just decided to enjoy the ride.

They were heading towards the main battle, which was taking place a few levels up, and then Anakin was going to assist the space battle that would be occurring in a few minutes when the Seperatist back up surely arrived. Or didn't. Either way, Anakin would be needed in flight soon enough.

Anakin glanced down at the platform they had left, hundreds of metres below. Clones were rushing back and forth in a frenzy that was too chaotic to make out at this distance. Tanks were being aimed, weapons readied, cannons fired at the swarms of battle droids and... them?

'Master!' Anakin yelled, grabbing Obi-Wan's attention. The older Jedi was ahead of him, focused on the cliff-face and the climb, lightsaber safely clipped to his belt where it had stayed since Cody had returned it to him. Obi-Wan turned a little in the saddle, but he was still facing directly away from Anakin when the rock wall in front of them exploded.

Obi-Wan and his veractyl were launched from the cliff face to a haze of dust, fire and white-noise. Anakin was barely aware that he, too, was falling, the shockwave from the blast hitting him squarely in the chest and then he was going down down down down.

He tried to scream Obi-Wan's name but either no sound was coming out of his mouth or he was dying because he couldn't hear a thing over the intense ringing in his ears and the strangely distant rush of air as he plummeted through empty space. His throat was raw already and amongst all the confusion one thought seemed to rise above the others and it had nothing to do with the water rushing up to swallow him and everything to do with how he'd _promised_ Padmé that he'd come back to her.

Then he hit the water and nothing mattered but the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, I know, but there's some big chapters coming up. Also, Sorry for skipping the big Mace VS Sidious fight. We may revisit that sometime in the future, I just couldn't get it to work right then and there.


	9. Call to Arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for everyone who has stuck with this story so far. I wouldn't be writing this without you guys!

Obi-Wan dragged Anakin's unconscious form out of the water, trying to make as little noise as possible. The idiot hadn't even tried to turn his fall into a dive like Obi-Wan had and as a result, could have broken his neck. He didn't, though, and once the water had been evacuated from his lungs the young Jedi coughed his way back to consciousness.

'Obi-Wan?' he asked as his eyes opened.

Obi-Wan just sent him a stern look. 'You're an idiot,' he said. 'Does this mean that we're even as far as life-saving goes?'

Anakin sat up and had the gall to smirk. 'Not even close.' Then his face turned serious. 'Your clones shot us,' he said darkly, as if he was just remembering something that made him angry - which was never a good sign. 'I saw them take aim. It was deliberate.'

Obi-Wan nodded gravely. 'I know,' he sighed. 'We need to get out of here. If my clones turned on us, they'll want to make sure we're dead.'

'You don't really think the clones would mutiny, do you?' Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan's blue-grey gaze was the most serious Anakin had ever seen it as he thought. Finally, he said, 'We've seen clones turn on the Jedi before. Their programming isn't perfect.'

'Or maybe it's _too_ perfect.'

Obi-Wan sighed. 'Either way, we need back-up.'

* * *

When Anakin and Obi-Wan finally returned to Anakin's starfighter, it was to see that Obi-Wan's had joined them on the small ledge.

'When did that get here?' Anakin asked R2D2 when he saw it. R2 beeped an explanation that left Obi-Wan looking confused. Anakin shook his head in disbelief. 'Great job, R2. We need to get out of here.' To Obi-Wan, he explained, 'R2 says that he saw us go down and guessed that you'd need alternative transport to what we had planned so he contacted your droid to get down here.'

'Thank you, Artoo, you can get a medal later,' Obi-Wan said, climbing into his fighter. 'Lets leave first.'

R2D2 beeped urgently. Anakin's expression turned wary. 'Play the message, R2.'

R2's holoprojector glowed into life and suddenly a clone trooper, looking thoroughly worse for wear, stood in front of them. He glanced furtively from side to side before he spoke and when he did, it wasn't in his usual commanding drawl, but an agitated almost-whisper.

' _This is a message for General Skywalker. The Jedi have been declared enemies of the State.'_ Captain Rex, Anakin's second in command, was crouched, as if he was hiding. ' _Sir, the 501st is going to march on the Jedi Temple. I can't stop them. I tried and they turned on me too. It's like they're under some sort of mind control. Someone called it Order 66. They're being lead by a Jedi, but I can't tell who. I didn't get a good look. I...'_ Something crashed out of sight of the holorecording. Captain Rex winced and ducked. ' _I gotta go, sir. I'll try and find others like me, but for now. I think you're on your own. Good luck, sir.'_

The message ended and Anakin looked to Obi-Wan, whose face had paled behind his auburn beard.

'I have a bad feeling about this,' he said. As always, it was understatement of the year.

'Master, we have to help them!' Anakin protested. 'Most of the Jedi aren't even on Coruscant except for the younglings. The 501st are good at what they do. They'll slaughter everyone in there!'

'Anakin, didn't it occur to you that this is a trap? Can you trust Rex right now?'

'You heard him!' Anakin retorted and then seemed to realise he hadn't answered the question. 'I trust Rex with my life.'

'I thought I could trust Cody too,' Obi-Wan said sadly. Anakin climbed into his his own fighter. More forcefully, he said. 'We can't just rush into this.'

'Maybe you can't,' Anakin snapped and closed the cockpit, taking off without another word.

'You're going to get yourself killed,' Obi-Wan yelled as the yellow starfighter rose into the Utapauan sky.

Anakin didn't hear him. He had turned his commlink off.

* * *

The yellow-and-silver starfighter touched down in the Jedi Temple's hangar bay. It seemed eerily deserted, there was not a sound save for the starfighter's engines powering down and the marching feet of an entire battalion of clones marching through the front entrance over a hundred meters below.

_His clones_.

Anakin wasted no time in leaping out of the ship and tearing down the hall. The clones would move upwards, and if he and Obi-Wan were right, they would kill any Jedi they came across. Masters, Padawans, _younglings_. Anakin swallowed, mind subconsciously flicking back to his own growing family, and went up.

As he paced the turbolift, a plan began forming in his head. The clones would flush any Jedi that couldn't or wouldn't fight upwards until they had nowhere to run. Most of the masters were off-world fighting so the majority of the Temple's occupants would be children who couldn't fly away or even defend themselves and the Jedi not on active duty. Not nearly enough to make a stand against so many clones. They'd be _slaughtered._ Anakin felt a hot rage building up within him. They were just kids.

Finally, the turbolift came to a halt. The encroaching footfalls of over a hundred battle-ready clones greeted his ears, but they were a little further away now. They wouldn't be able to get up here as quickly as Anakin did. He was only one man and had a head start.

The Force or luck or his subconscious took him to one of the training classrooms first. It was of a similar layout to the Council chambers, a large circular room in one of the five towers that made the Temple such a distinctive landmark in the Coruscanti skyline, with nearly three-sixty views of the city below.

Now, the room was dark, the only light coming from the traffic and buildings outside, not much brighter than starlight this high above the surface of the planet. It was so dimly lit, Anakin could barely see, but he could make out the Force signatures of at least ten younglings huddled behind chairs and cowering in the shadows. As he entered, a youngling stepped out. The boy was no older than five years, he guessed, and he looked up at Anakin with wide fearful eyes. He was holding a training lightsaber, but it was sheathed and shaking a little in his tiny grip. Still, he stood tall as his tiny frame would allow, as he faced the Jedi Master.

'Master Skywalker! There are too many of them,' the child gasped, but there were no tears in his eyes. 'What are we going to do?'

In answer, Anakin's lightsaber burst into life.

* * *

'Quickly, this way!' Anakin lead the group of younglings back down the hall. 'I need you to help me with the kids in the creche,' he explained quietly to the children as they ran. 'We need to get them out _before_ the clone troopers arrive, okay? You will all need to make sure no one gets left behind.'

'Master, what if they find us?' it was the same blonde boy from earlier. Anakin slowed as they reached a corner and looked around it, checking for an advanced patrol. Once he'd ensured the coast was clear, he turned back to the boy, who seemed to be the leader of the group.

'Do you know where the hangar bay is?' he asked seriously. The boy nodded. 'Well, if they find us, I will take on the clones while you get everyone to the hangar bay. Can you do that?'

'Yes, Master.'

'Good,' Anakin tried to smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace in the darkness. 'Once you get there, get everyone to hide, wherever they can. In ships, behind crates, anywhere and then stay silent. I'll meet you there and get you out okay?'

'Yes, Master.'

'You'll make a fine Jedi one day,' Anakin said and straightened up. _If we make it through the night, that is_. Again, he flashed back to Padmé. Their apartments have the perfect view of the Temple. _She must be so worried_. Anakin shook the thought away with difficulty, returning to the moment. He looked over at the ten children currently in his care. 'Right. Let's go.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that happened. What do you think of Anakin running off without Obi-Wan... Again? The scenes at the Jedi Temple are some of the first I came up with when putting this story together in my head, so I'm pretty excited we've gotten to this stage!


	10. Good Soldiers Follow Orders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be quite a few more Star Wars: The Clone Wars references in this chapter and the rest of the Temple scenes, so I apologize if you haven't seen it (but you should because its actually really good!) and yes, the chapter title is a reference, too.

At first glance, the creche appeared just as deserted as the rest of the Temple, but it wasn't difficult to spot the small children huddled among the maze of cribs and tiny beds - especially when a padawan leaped out of nowhere, blue lightsaber raised and read to swing.

As soon as the padawan spotted who they were, his eyes widened comically in the dark and his leap faltered. He landed in a slightly unsteady crouch in front of Anakin. 'I'm sorry, Master Skywalker,' he apologised. 'I thought you were the clones.'

'Never mind that, we need to get out of there.'

'I knew someone would come,' a girl's accented voice whispered out of the darkness. 'I told you.'

'How many are in here?'

'Twelve, Master,' replied the girl, standing up. She was a Twi'lek, aqua-skinned, barely in her teens. Anakin tried to think quickly. If only Obi-Wan had come with him.

'Okay, round them all up and get them to the hangar bay as quickly as possible. Are there any more padawans around?'

The boy frowned. 'I... don't think so.'

Anakin understood. _Not any more._ 'Then, any kid that can walk does so,' he ordered. 'The rest we'll have to improvise with.'

Movement out in the hallway grabbed Anakin's attention.

' _Now_!' he hissed. As the padawans and the younglings sprang into action, he turned, lightsaber casting eerie shadows on the walls. He shooed everyone away from the door and caused it to slide open. As he stepped out, he saw them, clone troopers - _his_ clone troopers. He'd left the 501st back on Coruscant when he'd gone to Utapau with Obi-Wan and his troops, but he'd never imagined they were the ones attacking the temple. There were only a few for now, but he recognised them all.

'General Skywalker!' Jesse shouted and pointed. Instantly, Anakin's lightsaber was raised, ready and waiting to deflect the inevitable blaster fire. When it didn't come immediately, Anakin took an angry step forward.

'I don't wanna fight you,' he grit out. 'But I will if I have to.'

'Well, we don't want to fight you either, sir,' another of the clones, Echo replied.

Anakin paused, brow furrowing. Obi-Wan's clones hadn't seemed to hesitate. He hated to think it, but if his men weren't shooting now, it probably wasn't out of loyalty. 'Why aren't you shooting at me?' he asked.

'Why would we, sir?' Jesse asked, sounding dazed. 'You're our General.'

Anger and desperation sparked Anakin's words. 'I didn't order this!'

'General, have you seen any Jedi around?' Commander Appo asked. 'They're proving quite difficult to find in this place.'

That again made Anakin pause. 'You don't see me as a Jedi?'

The clones looked at each other in confusion.

'Well...' Echo said. His hand went to the back of his helmet as if scratching his head. 'You're different, sir. You're a-'

'Jedi!' Jesse shouted and raised his blaster. Anakin growled and raised his lightsaber. He didn't need to look to see what had grabbed Jesse's attention. The padawans and the younglings were making their escape.

'Hold your fire!' Anakin yelled as the clones did the exact opposite. Anakin backed away, towards the younglings, deflecting his own troops' blaster fire. 'Get out of here!' he screamed over his shoulder. The padawans nodded, the girl, a child in each arm, began running down the hall in the lead, the younger ones following. The boy ushered them away, deflecting blaster bolts away from the younglings. Anakin began to follow, realising he probably couldn't lead the clones away from the others. The clones advanced, following the group down the halls, blasters firing as they moved. Anakin could sense more on the way.

With a cry, one of the smaller children fell over. The boy knelt to pick her up, but Anakin waved him away. 'I got her!' he told him. 'You protect the others!'

'Yes, Master!'

Anakin scooped up the child, an Erinyeosian girl with crimson-red hair, as another fell, but this one didn't move again. 'Stop!' Anakin shouted to the clones over the noise of their blasters. 'I order you to stand down!'

Anakin backed away, one arm full of three-year-old, the other deflecting bolts with his lightsaber, and stepped over the child. Dead. He didn't even need to look, he could feel it. Vision tinted red (or was that the girl's hair in his face?) he let out a guttural cry and thrust his sword arm out, calling on the Force to push the clones back and into each other.

'GO!' he screamed over his shoulder as more clones spilled into the hallway. His heart filled with regret as one of the clones fell under a deflected blaster bolt. These were _his_ comrades. _His_ men. And someone was forcing them to kill children. To kill Jedi. But not him and there was nothing he could do to change it.

Anakin stopped backing away, instead standing his ground. It was like a switch inside him had flipped and suddenly, he was deflecting bolts with purpose, each one finding their target. Clones, felled by his hand, littered the corridor, impeding the progress of the rest.

'Don't make me kill you all!' Anakin called as the blaster fire kept coming, despite it not actually being aimed at him, but to the small retreating figures at his back.

'Good soldiers follow orders,' one of the clones muttered as they continued forward. The phrase was familiar, and sent a chill up Anakin's spine.

'Whose orders?' he demanded as another spray of blaster fire was deflected back at the clones. They certainly weren't following _his_ anymore. The young girl tugged on a lock of his hair and he swallowed back the bitter betrayal. Barely. 'Whose orders?' he repeated. 'Answer me! Whose orders?'

The sound of a lightsaber being unsheathed came from around the corner and then from behind the clones, a cloaked figure appeared. Anakin couldn't see his face, but he recognised the lightsaber he carried, its distinct purple glow and utilitarian hilt nearly causing him to stumble in shock. Mace Windu. Could it possibly _be_? He had hated Anakin from the beginning, Anakin knew, but he hadn't thought Windu capable of _this_.

The voice wasn't Mace's when he answered Anakin's question, though. It was older, masculine and gravelly, but still strangely familiar. It was only one word, but the relish in it was chilling.

' _Mine_.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know its short, but the scene got too long to fit into one chapter, so I split it into three. But what did you think about that plot twist? The clones not attacking Anakin comes from my own personal headcanon, born from when I watched SW:TCW S6E01-5. The clone Tup didn't react to Anakin's presence, only to Tiplee and Tiplar, so I guessed that Anakin had been a pre-programmed exception to the Order 66 biochips - which is also why Sidious felt safe with issuing the Order, because they would not attack Anakin.


	11. Stranger in the Temple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get personal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its another short one because it was supposed to be the second half of the previous chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

The mystery Jedi leaped. He sailed over the heads of the clones, the Temple's vaulted ceilings allowing for the altitude, and then he came crashing down on Anakin with such force, Anakin was sent staggering. The Jedi was sending him down the corridor in a slow, backwards pursuit of the younglings, who, Anakin discovered upon glancing over his shoulder, were now out of sight.

The clones weren't interested in Anakin, but this new threat definitely was. The power coming from him was palpable, like a pressure on his chest. It caused Anakin to tighten his grip on the girl in his arms as if it could somehow protect her from the pure evil emanating from underneath that dark hood.

The dark Jedi raised their weapon. Up close, Anakin could see that it was Mace's - stolen. The phrase, over his dead body, suddenly seemed far too real as Anakin remembered that Mace had never once let his weapon out of his sight in all the time he had known the Jedi Master. Someone else with Windu's lightsaber was like hearing someone tell him that Yoda was actually six feet tall. It was just plain wrong.

And yet...

Anakin's musings were cut short by another desperate parry on his part and the realisation that he had reached a fork in the corridor. The younglings had headed right towards the hangar. Anakin stepped to the left, towards the turbolifts.

'On the run, Skywalker?' the stranger hissed. Again, the man's voice was hauntingly familiar, but it sounded wrong somehow, the emphasis on the wrong syllables, a usually passive voice turned aggressive. They were in the turbolift bay.

'You obviously have never met me,' Anakin grunted and pushed the stranger off. In the same movement, he twisted and jumped towards the nearest lift, simultaneously using the force to assist his jump and press the down button with his outstretched sword arm. The Erinyeosian girl nestled somewhat safely in the cage of his other arm was quickly becoming a hindrance.

'Who would have thought the famed Anakin Skywalker would be weighed down by a child,' the hooded figure sneered as he advanced. The words hit Anakin like a stab to the gut. Suddenly, he wasn't sure if anything the stranger had said was about what was going on between them right now. It was almost as if...

As if this stranger knew about his family.

More strongly than ever, Anakin wanted to gut the man standing in front of him. To tear down the hood so he could see his face and then watch the life leave whatever such a demon had for eyes. To see whatever head held that hood up roll along the Temple floor. Anakin had executed one of the greatest swordsmen the Jedi Order had ever produced. He could do the same to this stranger that had killed Mace, had defiled the most sacred of Jedi temples with his presence. He could. He wanted to. Needed to.

But then a tiny hand tugged on a lock of his hair and he didn't.

Instead, he took another step backwards and let the elevator doors close in front of his face.

* * *

As soon as the doors shut, Anakin knew he had seconds. He needed to remove this new threat, but first, he needed to deal with the girl.

'Hey, Red,' he said to the child in his arms. There was no time for introductions. 'I need you to be extra good okay? I'm gonna keep you safe, but you need to do what I say.'

'Yes, Master,' the girl replied in a tiny voice.

He tried for a smile in response, he suspected it worked about as well as it had the last time. 'Good girl.'

He thought about trying his commlink but there weren't any Jedi he could call. Yoda was on Kashyyyk, Mace and probably others were dead somewhere, killed by the unknown he had left on the upper floors of the North Tower and the rest were most likely on the run from their own clone armies - assuming, of course, that the clones' mutiny was happening across the entire Republic Army.

Obi-Wan was too far away to be immediately helpful. The next person he'd think to call was Ahsoka Tano, his former- his friend, but she was Force-knows-where, and the next one after her was Captain Rex. To hell with Obi-Wan's misgivings, Anakin decided. Rex's intel has been good so far. The fact he wasn't here confirmed that Anakin's trust in him wasn't misplaced. He thumbed his commlink.

'Rex, come in!'

Silence.

'Rex come in!' Anakin repeated.

After the third repeat, a voice answered on the other end.

'General Skywalker, do you read me?'

Anakin sighed with relief. 'I'm reading you. Rex, I'm at the Temple. I need an evac, can you help me?'

'I'm in a bit of a situation myself, sir,' Rex grunted. Anakin thought he heard blaster fire from the tiny speaker. 'I'll get there as soon as I can.' A loud crash - or was it an explosion? - sent feedback through the commlink and the girl buried her head in the crook of his neck at the sound.

'Captain Rex, do you copy?' Anakin yelled into the commlink, not helping the child's distress. 'Rex!' he repeated, but got no answer. Swearing, he shut it off. Trying very hard not to jump to any nasty conclusions, he decided not to rely on Rex's help for the time being. He had no time to worry about Rex. He had no time at all.

The turbolift doors opened. Anakin burst out and set the girl down on her feet, making use of his now free hand to keep her behind him as he spied about ten clones patrolling the grand entrance hall of the Jedi Temple.

He ignited his lightsaber.

'Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from the Jedi!' One of the clones had spotted them.

'I don't want to have to fight you,' Anakin growled. He didn't have time for this either.

'General, step away from the Jedi!' another repeated.

Anakin tried swallowing back the boiling rage he felt at the situation and failed miserably. He lowered his gaze at every clone and raised his lightsaber into an attack stance. His voice was low and deadly when he spoke.

'No.'

* * *

When Darth Sidious stepped out of the turbolift, the Temple hall resembled a battlefield.

The ten clones he had stationed there lay dead, some downed by what looked like blaster bolts, but others were dismembered or had great orange slashes in their armor, the wounds so fresh they glowed. Anakin Skywalker stood in the middle, hood up and hands free of anything but his lightsaber. Under his own hood, the Sith Lord smiled. This was very good.

'You didn't run far enough, Skywalker.'

'I've had enough games,' Skywalker seethed. 'Who are you? What have you done to my clones and where is Mace Windu?'

'My dear boy,' Sidious chuckled. 'You know the answer to all of those questions.'

Skywalker's eyes blazed under his hood, just visible enough that Sidious could see them, electric blue and full of hate.

'You're a Sith Lord,' Skywalker spat.

'Good,' Sidious hissed like a serpentine schoolteacher. 'And the Clones?'

'Biochips planted in vitro,' Skywalker fumed. Sidious could see his chest heaving from halfway down the cavernous hall. 'You've been planning this for a very long time.'

'Very good.'

'Mace Windu is dead.'

'Excellent.'

'I'm going to kill you.'

Sidious smiled. 'My boy, I have no doubt you will try.'

This time, Anakin lunged.


	12. The Sith Lord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reveal you've all been waiting for

Inside the grand hall of the Jedi Temple, two blades clashed in flashes of blue and purple. The Sith Lord's style was acrobatic, like a snake, darting forward to jab and then leaping out of the way of Anakin's parry, dancing around him until all he could see was red. The battle was much more even this time. The Sith Lord no longer had the advantage of surprise and he had made Anakin angry.

Anakin found he did not feel the need to pull back when he was angry. Anakin also found that he jumped further when he was angry.

With every move the Sith Lord made, Anakin was right there. With every one of Anakin's thrusts, the Sith Lord parried. With every one of the Sith Lord's parries, a counterattack followed close behind, all one fluid movement.

The Sith was fast. Faster than anything Anakin had ever fought before. He slashed at Anakin's chest in wide arcs, forcing him back a step before Anakin surged forward again, not to be outdone. The Sith Lord also seemed to be deliberately putting distance between them. The worrying thing was, it was impossible to tell whether it was because he was afraid Anakin could hurt him, or he was afraid he could hurt Anakin.

The Sith leaped out of the way of Anakin's forward swing and propelled himself off a nearby pillar, raining down on Anakin from above. Anakin raised his lightsaber to deflect the blow, but the force of the Sith landing on top of him sent him crashing to the polished stone floor.

Suddenly, it felt like they were fighting in close quarters for the first time. Lit by the intense light of their 'sabers, Anakin was almost blinded, but he could also almost see underneath the Sith's hood. His muscles in his back, arms and shoulders strained to keep his own lightsaber from being forced into his own neck, the intense heat of the clash searing his skin more effectively than the hottest days on Tatooine. They came to a stalemate of sorts, the Sith bearing down on him, a solid weight on his chest, and him pushing back up in response, mouth pressed so tightly into a thin line that his lips went white. He tried to take a deep breath and closed his eyes. As quickly as he could muster, he called upon the Force, allowing it to surge through him and out again, directed towards the Sith Lord. The stranger flew backwards, making it halfway to the vaulted ceiling before he began falling straight back down again - but not before Anakin had rolled out of the way.

He was on his feet by the time the Sith hit the floor. With a guttural scream, he lunged forward, lightsaber raised for a killing blow to the Sith's darkly clad prone back before bringing it down again...

Only for it to be met by a purple blade and an unhooded face.

Chancellor Palpatine stared up at him. Deformed to the point of repulsion, he smiled a rictus grin up through yellowed teeth and even yellower eyes.

His dream of Padmé's death felt like a lifetime ago, though the hurt was no less. The connection with the Chancellor, Anakin's friend, his mentor, his only real father figure besides Obi-Wan, his most fierce advocate, brought it back afresh, a pain so sudden and blinding Anakin struggled to remain upright. He had to look down to make sure Palpatine hadn't run him through with the stolen lightsaber.

Surprisingly, he hadn't.

' _No_ ,' Anakin moaned as his stomach twisted unbearably. His body was going slack, losing the will to fight, but his soul raged at the injustice, the betrayal.

_The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural._

This is how he had known. The tale of Darth Plagueis, the secret to stopping death, this was how he knew it all.

_I have the power to save the ones you love._

Not for the first time, it took a moment for Anakin to realise the Chancellor had spoken aloud. He hadn't risen from his prone position on the floor, like he knew that Anakin wasn't going to attack him again. Not yet, at ah achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to use the Dark Side of the Force and you will be able to save your wife from certain death.'

That kicked Anakin's brain back into gear. 'What did you say?' he started towards the Chancellor, lightsaber raised and ready to strike but the man didn't even flinch. Anakin couldn't bring his lightsaber down.

_It was so easy with Dooku._

_But Dooku hadn't been the key to saving Padmé's life._

'You remember the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise,' Palpatine said, as though he had read Anakin's thoughts. 'Use my knowledge, I beg you.'

'You're a Sith Lord!' Anakin cried, even though that had already been established. 'You are evil!'

'And the Jedi aren't?' The Chancellor retorted pleasantly, like they were discussing the matter in one of Anakin's visits to his office, or at the theatre. Anakin was speechless, something Palpatine took advantage of. 'Don't continue to be a pawn for the Jedi council! You are their greatest source of power, Anakin and they're afraid of it. I see it in their eyes. Its why they held you back for so long. The council doesn't trust you. They didn't want to send you to Utapau and they didn't want to make you a Master.'

'The council are dead because of you!' Anakin screamed.

'Hardly,' the Chancellor replied. 'Anakin. Ever since I've known you, you have been searching for a life greater than an ordinary Jedi. A life of significance, of conscience, a life... with your family.'

 _Your family._ He definitely knows.

The threat was veiled but it was there and it reignited Anakin's fury. He raised his lightsaber once again and, if it were possible, Palpatine stilled even more. Just like when Anakin and Obi-Wan had found him on Grievous's ship, he didn't move a muscle as he spoke. 'Are you going to kill me?' It wasn't really a question, though. It was a challenge.

Anakin's lightsaber was still raised and ready, but it shook slightly. His whole body was shaking. With fury. With betrayal. With bloodlust. With love for Padmé, whose face rose in front of him at that moment, a phantom of his dream, mouth twisted in pain, tears staining her cheeks. The future version of her. The dying version of her. Killing the Chancellor would be killing her. He didn't lower his blade, but kept it there, hovering.

'I would certainly like to,' he managed through gritted teeth. Even his voice was shaking.

The Chancellor's face remained carefully neutral, but his eyes threatened to close in pleasure and his voice dripped with satisfaction. 'I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus.'

But all he could focus on now was Padmé.

'It makes you stronger.'

He was doing this for her.

Anakin brought his lightsaber down with a scream.

Mace Windu's lightsaber flew across the room and landed somewhere in the long shadows of a pillar, sheathed and invisible.

The Chancellor, unarmed but also unharmed, let out a small grunt of surprise and used the Force to push Anakin away. He flew through the air, high into the rafters where the back of his head collided with the smooth stone of a pillar and he came crashing down again.

Looking up at the spinning ceiling, the shadows loomed longer and darker than before as his lightsaber sheathed itself. The Chancellor's laughter echoed through the halls unnaturally loud and unbearably cruel. It was as unfamiliar as it was terrible and it made the knots in his stomach tighten with even more urgency.

Anakin tried to sit up and collapsed back onto the floor. The first collision had resulted in a pain in his chest that constricted his breathing and the head trauma had him seeing stars.

The Chancellor's laughter was fading until it was merely a memory, but by then, Anakin couldn't have heard it anyway. He let the darkness claim him.

* * *

Something tugged on the lock of hair by Anakin's left ear. His head hurt but the movement wasn't threatening. He didn't want to open his eyes. He just wanted to lie there forever with Padmé in his arms...

But she wasn't.

Another tug. Harder, this time. Consciousness slowly returned to the rest of his body. Anakin groaned.

He wasn't in bed. Padmé wasn't there. He was lying on a cold, hard stone floor and the back of his head felt sticky.

Anakin opened his eyes. Huge grey ones stared back, framed by dark crimson lashes. The girl, Red, he'd nicknamed her, sat back on her haunches.

'Master?' she whispered, big grey eyes wide with fear.

The events of the last few hours were rushing back to him all at once. He sat bolt upright, so suddenly the girl stumbled back and sat down abruptly on the floor.

He had sent the younglings to the hangar bay. More immediately important, the girl had been in the room for the entire fight with Palpatine.

'How did you escape the Sith?' Anakin asked as he stood.

'The shadows,' the Erinyeosian replied quietly. Anakin frowned but decided that was a mystery for another day. Silently, he extended his gloved hand to the child and lead her to the turbolifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully that wasn't quite as much of a cliffhanger as the last few chapters have been - I didn't realise I had been doing that until someone pointed it out!


	13. Retreat

he Temple halls were silent when they arrived on the correct floor. Anakin had his lightsaber drawn, ready for an attack that hadn't come. Without wasting any time, he sheathed his blade and they made their way to the hangar bay.

At first glance the hangar appeared deserted. Anakin tried to clear his racing mind and searched for the Force signatures of the younglings. Two were hiding in starfighter cockpits, eight in various shipping crates. The padawans were somewhere high, looking down on the scene from the top of another pile of crates. Four littler ones were hidden in dark corners and the remaining four were tucked on the opposite side of the few ships in the hangar. As Anakin surveyed the hangar, his face fell. None of the ships in there were big enough to transport himself, two padawans and nineteen younglings.

'You can come out,' he called quietly. The hangar echoed with a rustle of movement and faces began to appear in the dark. The padawans landed in front of him.

'I've been trying to get communications out,' the Twi'lek girl said. 'We won't be able to get all of us away from here with any of these ships.'

'Did you get anything?' Anakin demanded.

'We're not sure, Master,' the human boy replied. 'The clones must be jamming comms in and out of the Temple, but we may have been able to get something through to the Senate.'

'When?'

The Padawans looked at each other. 'About ten minutes ago, Master,' said the girl.

Anakin shook his head, then immediately regretted it. 'The Senate will not be any help to us. They are being controlled by the Sith.' Anakin eyed one of the larger ships. 'It is possible if they were only carrying us, one of these ships may _just_ be able to get us out of here.'

'Master, are you sure?' The boy asked. Anakin glared at him. He looked about fifteen. Younger, in the half light.

'I don't think we have a choice.'

'But Master-' the girl began, but Anakin silenced her with a raised hand. Out in the corridor, he sensed something. He freed his hand from the crimson-headed girl's and raised a gloved finger to his lips.

The room went silent. There was a clone standing outside.

'Everyone get down!' Anakin yelled. The younglings hit the floor just as the hangar door exploded. Shrapnel and blaster fire filled the previously silent space with chaotic noise and bursts of light. Anakin, flanked by the two padawans, advanced to meet the clones head on, valiantly ignoring the fact that they were cornered.

Or Anakin was anyway, because that only other alternative was screaming. The only way out was either through the entirety of the 501st Battalion or the sheer multi-storey drop out of the hangar bay doors. Either of which was suicide. Obi-Wan was too far away and the revelation of the identity of the Sith Lord had left him fundamentally shattered inside. Suddenly, there was no one in the Senate he could trust - apart from his heavily pregnant wife, but he didn't care if they all died in here, he was going to keep her as far away from the battles he fought as possible.

'Master Skywalker!' the Twi'lek shouted. 'We can't keep this up forever!' She deflected a blaster bolt and a clone went down. With a pang, Anakin thought he recognised the fallen soldier as Jesse.

'I know that!' he replied. Perhaps he should have taken the two seconds it would have cost him to get their names, but he had been distracted by the fact his own battalion had been trying to kill them. 'Just-' he grunted as a laser he had missed shot so close to his ear he felt the searing heat as it passed. 'Just hold on! We'll think of something, I promise!'

'How about that?' the boy yelled over the noise, pointing behind them. Anakin thought he heard a familiar engine. Ducking behind a crate, he looked at where the padawan had been pointing.

A familiar figure was hanging out of a trooper transport just outside the bay doors.

Captain Rex had arrived. And he had brought company. The girl whooped and started shuffling some of the younglings away from the fighting, towards the transport. 'Come on!' She screamed to be heard over the blaster fire and the engines. She ducked low to avoid the worst of the laserfire and picked up some of the youngest, transferring them into the arms of someone Anakin couldn't see. He was too busy fighting off the clones again.

His arms moved on autopilot, deflecting shot after shot before his brain even recognised the beam was aimed in his direction. It still felt like most of the blaster fire wasn't actually directed at him, but at the padawan at his side, or the younglings behind him, but it didn't matter. He stopped thinking about the Chancellor, he stopped thinking about Obi-Wan and anything else that wasn't the tiny bodies being filed onto their unlikely rescue craft.

'Master, come on!' the boy yelled. Anakin risked a glance over his shoulder. It seemed all the younglings were on board. They were safe. Almost.

'Anakin!' another familiar voice shouted. Obi-Wan was on the transport.

'Go!' Anakin yelled to the padawan. They still had to get away without getting shot down. 'Tell Rex to move a little higher. I'll buy you some time!'

'But- Master!' the boy protested.

'Thats an _order_ , padawan!'

There was a moment's hesitation, but the boy finally acquiesced. 'Yes, Master!'

Obi-Wan called his name again, but Anakin blocked it out and moved into the center of the room. 'Hey!' he yelled. 'Commander, I order you to stop this at once!' He didn't actually believe it would work, but hopefully it would be enough to grab their attention. He glowered at his troops. 'I am a _Jedi_ and I order you to _STOP_!'

For a moment, it almost seemed to work. The power in his voice managed to stymie a few, and the blaster fire that had been so constant since the clones had barged their way in stuttered.

Then, for the first time, it was trained directly at him.

He didn't have to look to see that the transport had moved out of the immediate danger zone and Anakin did what he had to do. He leaped.

Anakin sailed twenty feet in the air, the Force propelling him upwards like a shot, but it didn't dissipate. Anakin let the Force build. He was the most powerful Jedi alive and at that moment, he felt it more acutely than ever. The Force was a physical pressure in his chest, filling his entire being to bursting, but he didn't let it go just yet. He raised his lightsaber and began his descent, a scream of rage tearing from his lungs like his breath had been wrenched from him when he fell into the water on Utapau. This time, however, he didn't lose consciousness. This time, he pushed it outward, fuelled by the Force and his rage and his betrayal and his anxiety and as he hit the floor, he thrust his lightsaber down, point first.

The impact sent a concussive shockwave through the hangar. There was a moment of pure absence of sound and then the Force knocked every single one of the clones off their feet. The blaster fire stopped. Everything stopped. Exhausted, Anakin ran. Ten steps and a leap and he was inside Rex's transport.

No blaster fire followed him. For now, the younglings were safe. Anakin tried very hard not to feel like a failure.

* * *

'Are you _insane_?' Obi-Wan demanded as the transport pulled away from the ruins of the Temple. Smoke was rising from somewhere on the opposite side of the grand old Temple and spilling from the hangar. The battle had set something in there on fire.

'What, you wanted us to get shot down?' Anakin countered, jaw working. Now they were out of danger, his mind kept going over the... conversation he had just had with Palpatine, the Sith Lord. The entire thing hurt his head, but that might have been the concussion. 'I was not going to risk the lives of younglings on the chance that the 501st was going to miss such a large target moving so slowly.

'You could have done something with a little less showmanship,' Obi-Wan muttered.

'Yeah?' Anakin demanded. 'Like what, exactly? Actually, I don't care. I can't-' he took a deep breath. Obi-Wan eyed him with concern.

'Anakin, something is deeply troubling you,' he said. Anakin huffed out a laugh at the understatement. 'What is it?'

_He needed to tell Obi-Wan about Palpatine._

'Master, I have learned something terrible,' Anakin began. There were tears threatening to spill in his eyes. 'The Sith are behind this.'

'Darth Sidious,' Obi-Wan muttered darkly. 'How do you know? Do you know who he is?'

'I-' Anakin tried to speak, but trailed off.

_I have the power to save the ones you love._

Obi-Wan took a step closer, so their foreheads were almost touching. Quietly, he said, 'This is important, Anakin. This knowledge could give us a vital advantage. We're fighting for our very survival here!'

_Only through me will you be able to achieve a power greater than any Jedi._

'Don't you think I don't know that?' Anakin hissed, stepping away quickly. It was so close in here, it was difficult to breathe properly.

_I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. It makes you stronger._

'Anakin, be careful of your feelings, they will betray you.' Obi-Wan said, obviously sensing his turmoil. Anakin loathed the fact he was such an open book to Obi-Wan, to Palpatine - to anyone. He hated it. 'We are fewer in number than before, but if the Jedi fight together, we can beat Sidious, I know it.'

_Killing the Chancellor would be killing Padmé._

' _No_ ,' Anakin breathed before he could stop the word. Everything hurt, inside and out.

Obi-Wan looked like he wanted to say more, but at that moment, the cockpit door opened and out stepped Senator Bail Organa.

'That was quite a feat, Master Skywalker,' the Alderaanian politician commented by way of greeting.

'Senator Organa,' Anakin said, eyeing him suspiciously. 'I didn't expect to see you coming to our rescue. Especially since the Jedi have all been labelled enemies of the Republic.'

'You are a friend, Master Skywalker,' Bail replied with a sad smile. 'And I would never stand by and watch friends and children be killed. Especially when they call for my help.' That part seemed to be directed at the two padawans who were stood in the back of the transport, tending to the younglings.

'You would commit treason for us?' Anakin asked.

'"Treason" is a very strong word, Master Skywalker,' Organa replied with a hint of a sad smile.

'Yes it is, Senator,' Anakin replied darkly and turned to look out of the window. They were almost out of Coruscant's atmosphere, the night sky darkening to the pitch black of space. They were so close, Anakin could see stars. 'Where are we going?'

Organa smiled sadly again. 'I have a transport ship that will take you and the younglings somewhere safe.'

 _Somewhere not with Padmé,_ Anakin realised. Suddenly, the thought that she and Palpatine were even on the same planet made his heart nearly stop. He clenched his fists, invisible beneath the folds of his robes. Obi-Wan looked at him sharply, but seemed to realise he could say nothing here. Anakin stared out of the window in agonising silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel really bad for killing some of our favourite clones, but at least we still have Rex? And the majority of them are still alive - poor Anakin still can't bear the thought of killing so many of his comerades, even if they're trying to kill him. Let me know what you think?


	14. Birth of an Empire

n unexpected passenger greeted them as they boarded Organa's transport ship, the _Tantive IV_.

'Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker. Relieved I am that false the reports of your deaths were.'

'And we are glad you have survived as well, Master Yoda,' Obi-Wan replied with a respectful nod. 'Do we know of any other survivors?'

'In turmoil the Force is,' the Grandmaster sighed. 'Impossible to identify the survivors until the danger has passed, it will be.' He saw something behind Anakin and Obi-Wan and smiled a toothy grin. 'But need the Force to identify these younglings, we do not. To you, Master Skywalker, their lives are owed.'

Anakin sent a look sideways at Obi-Wan, who, thankfully, didn't return it. 'I was just doing my duty as a protector of the innocent, Master Yoda.'

Yoda nodded gravely. 'Ah, yes. Protection. A Jedi's first mandate that is. Forgotten, we have, during this time of war, I think.' He looked up at Organa. 'Talk with Masters Kenobi and Skywalker, I must. Rest, the younglings should and see a medical droid.'

Organa nodded curtly and addressed the younglings gathered behind him, wide-eyed and clinging to each other. 'Come, children.'

Once they were gone, Yoda fixed his ancient green gaze on Anakin. It was something that he had been subjected to hundreds of times before, but there was something _knowing_ about that look that made Anakin fight the urge to squirm beneath it. Anakin looked away before Yoda did. 'Much to discuss, there is.' Yoda announced. 'If to determine the extent of the plot against the Jedi we are.'

'With all due respect, Master,' Obi-Wan said. 'There doesn't seem to be that much to discuss at all. The Sith are behind this and they have somehow managed to turn our clones against us. We have never been more hopelessly outnumbered.'

'The Sith's involvement, confirmed, it is?' Yoda asked. 'Or suspicion? Long have we awaited an attack by the Sith. Yet drawing conclusions, impossible it is without evidence.'

'I fought one,' Anakin revealed. 'The Sith Lord was at the Jedi Temple, leading the 501st. I fought both the clones and the Sith myself.'

'Certain, you are of this?' Yoda pressed.

Anakin nodded. 'He fought like no other Jedi I had ever seen, and I couldn't sense him like a Jedi, but he was powerful in the Force and...' Anakin looked between the Grandmaster and his old mentor gravely. 'And he was wielding Master Windu's lightsaber.'

The tips of Yoda's ears seemed to droop as he sighed. Neither Jedi Master needed an elaboration on what that meant. 'Meditate on this I will. In the meantime, rest, you must.' And with that, he turned and left them there in the corridor, his small retreating form hunched and impossibly ancient.

Obi-Wan glanced at the mess at the back of Anakin's head with a sympathetic wince. 'Come on,' he said. 'You should get that looked at too.'

* * *

_Padmé was laid out on a table. Something was holding him back, away from her. Hands - Obi-Wan! Droids partially blocked Anakin's view of his wife, but they couldn't block the screams. He strained against Obi-Wan's durasteel grip. Something else was screaming too - a monitor? A child? Himself? It was impossible to tell, but he wanted it to stop so desperately, to be there, by her side, to relieve her pain-_

_And then he was._

_Padmé was crying. 'Anakin, help me, please!' Her back arched and she screamed again. Anakin looked wildly around for any sign of Palpatine. He had promised he would save her! Anakin couldn't do it by himself._

' _Anakin!' she cried again. Panic seized him even tighter._

_She was dying and there was nothing he could do. All of this was his fault - he was sure of it. She was fading fast. It was too late, they were too late._

_An infant's cry joined hers now._

_Everything was coming undone in front of his eyes. Everything worth fighting for. Anakin wanted to take after his wife and child and scream too. He'd never been so scared in his entire life - or angry._ Where was Palpatine _?_

_His gaze was torn from Padmé's tortured face by something over her shoulder. A reflection from the monitors, overlaid above an urgent display of flashing lights and vital signs. It was a yellow pair of eyes, like Palpatine's at the Jedi Temple._

_Sith eyes. Evil eyes._

_Until that moment, he had thought that Palpatine would save her, but looking at those eyes, Anakin felt a fresh surge of fear and hatred. Those eyes would destroy her._

_Padmé was in danger._

* * *

From her apartments at the 500 Repubblica, Padmé could see smoke rising from the Jedi Temple. At first, she had thought the red glow had been the sun setting, before realising the glow wasn't far enough to be the horizon - or the sun.

Fear and grief tugged at her mind and heart, the only thing keeping them at bay was the fact that Anakin wasn't there. He was on Utapau with Obi-Wan. She had never been so grateful for him being sent away to fight a war.

Her commlink beeped, alerting her to an incoming call. It was Mas Amedda.

'Senator Amidala, the Chancellor has called an emergency meeting of the Senate. He is expecting you.'

'I'll be there,' Padme replied, hoping Amedda couldn't see the tear stains on her cheeks. If he did, he didn't comment, just nodded cordially at her and cut the transmission.

_What could the Chancellor possibly want now?_

* * *

Senator Organa joined Padmé in her repulsorpod partway through the Chancellor's speech. Every word filled her stomach with lead and caused her to subconsciously cradle her large belly protectively. All through it, an internal battle waged; believe in Palpatine or believe in the Jedi? Surely Palpatine didn't have so much power over the Senate that they would believe whatever he told them? Though if that _was_ true, what did that say about the rest of the Galaxy? How far gone were they already?

Then there was the question of the Jedi. Anakin would never do anything of the likes Palpatine was suggesting, and neither would Obi-Wan. The rest of the Order she didn't know very well, but none of them had ever given her reason to suspect an ulterior motive. Even when Jedi turned against each other, it was over a disagreement about what was the best thing for the Republic. What Palpatine was describing was impossible. Four Jedi Knights, including Master Mace Windu, attacking the Chancellor in an assassination attempt? Improbable at best. Redrobes managing to kill the four members of the Jedi High Council that tried to kill Palpatine? They were the Chancellor's personal bodyguards and reputed to be good, but not _that_ good. A Jedi plot to take over the Senate? Impossible. Sure, Anakin might have his negative views on how the Senate does things, but he also has his problems with the Jedi, and his views did not represent the views of all Jedi, much less the council. Besides, Anakin loved the Republic. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardise it... Would he?

'Measures are being taken to neutralise those who would be a threat to the security of the Republic and the Jedi Rebellion has been foiled.'

'What happened?' Bail asked quietly as he sat down.

Padmé looked up at him. 'The Chancellor has been elaborating on a plot by the Jedi to overthrow the Senate.'

The Chancellor continued, 'The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated!'

Applause echoed through the grand Senate chamber.

Padmé's heart clenched painfully. _If there is a target on Anakin's head he'll have to go into hiding. Unless... they've already gotten to him. Oh, Ani, are you even still_ alive _?_

The Chancellor's voice was still echoing through the chamber, each sentence punctuated by more applause. This wasn't the Senate Padmé believed in. In this moment, it was unrecognisable.

'The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed,' the Chancellor drew out the words "attempt", "scarred" and "deformed" for impact, as if he wasn't talking about a traumatic experience, but rather a pleasurable one. Padmé felt sick. 'But I assure you,' the Chancellor continued and now he really did sound supremely satisfied. 'My resolve has never been stronger!' Neither Padmé nor Bail applauded with the rest of the Senate. She tried to stay as still as possible, as if moving would shatter her carefully cultivated composure. Palpatine wasn't close to finishing, though. He had moved on to the real reason the Senate had been called tonight. With each word, Padmé felt her faith waning. _This isn't the Galaxy I want my child to grow up in_ , ran around her head. The awful feeling of a trap door closing around them, all of them, the Senate, the Republic, the Jedi, _Democracy_ , became more intense the longer the Chancellor spoke, and his final statement felt like the final nail in the coffin.

'In order to ensure the security and continuing stability of our great Galaxy, the Republic shall be reorganised into the First Galactic Empire!'

Padmé sat back in her chair, suddenly numb. It wasn't shock that had dulled everything, but the inevitability of it, the feeling that everything had been leading up to this.

In the space of a few minutes, Chancellor Palpatine had taken everything Padmé valued from her; her husband, the Republic, democracy itself. The only thing he hadn't taken was her unborn child.

All she could hear was thunderous applause.

She allowed herself this moment of defeat. She would regroup. She would try to stop this. She would fight for democracy, but not in this moment. Not here and now. Here and now, she would do nothing but sit and wait and pray that Anakin was alright because that was all she could do.

She didn't look at Bail. She just stared at the Chancellor's podium where Palpatine stood, arms raised in exaltation, his words still echoing, a musical accompaniment to the rhythm of the Senate's blind compliance.

She took a deep, shaky breath. 'So this is how Liberty dies.'

* * *

Anakin sprinted down the halls of Organa's ship, searching rooms in a blind panic. He had to tell Obi-Wan about Palpatine. He couldn't let his dreams come true. _Where was Obi-Wan?_ He had been stupid, blind, desperate and now he couldn't wait any longer to rectify his mistake.

If he waited, he'd lose everything.

Obi-Wan and Yoda were in quiet conference in someone's sleeping quarters, when Anakin burst in, an effective interruption.

'Masters! There is something I need to tell you!'

_Darth Plagueis the Wise was a Sith lord so powerful and so wise, he could even influence the midichlorians to create life._

'Anakin, what is it?' Obi-Wan demanded, leaping to his feet.

_He had such a knowledge of the dark side._

Anakin swallowed thickly. 'I know who the Sith Lord is.'

_He could even stop the ones he cared about from dying._

Yoda and Obi-Wan stared silently at him, waiting.

_He could actually save people from death._

'Its-'

Anakin's reveal was interrupted by Padmé's face from the dream he'd just woken from. Her screams, those yellow eyes. _Anakin, help me, please!_

'Palpatine,' he managed. Pain lanced through his knees. 'Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord we've been looking for.'

Obi-Wan and Yoda shared a significant look, two wise Masters passing judgement down on some youngling. Anakin grimaced and realised that he was at eye height with Yoda, who was sitting on the bed. He was kneeling on the floor.

Finally, Obi-Wan said, 'We know.'

Startled, Anakin scrambled to his feet. 'What? How?'

'Because,' Obi-Wan sighed. 'He's just turned the Republic into an Empire.'

Silence met his statement. Anakin stared from on Jedi Master to the other. 'So what do we do?' he asked finally. He didn't know how to feel about this development. The Senate was corrupt, spent far too long making decisions and was crippled by bureaucracy, an empire would solve those problems, but not with Palpatine as Emperor. Not with the Sith in control of the entire galaxy.

'Determine Palpatine's next move, we should,' Yoda suggested. 'The survival of the Jedi Order, not the only thing in peril, it is.'

Something bleeped next to Obi-Wan. 'I don't think that is going to be a problem, Master,' he said and revealed a holo of Mon Mothma, Senator for Chandrila. 'Master Jedi, can you hear me?' she asked in her clipped accent.

'Hear you we can, Senator,' Yoda replied. 'To what do we owe this?'

'Senator Organa told me where to contact you,' Mothma explained. She looked left and right, and Anakin noticed a gash on her cheek. 'The Emperor is the one who declared you enemies of the state and now-' she ducked out of view for a second before reappearing again. 'I have to make this quick. I am going into hiding. Senator Organa should be about to return to you. He is going to take his family and run, too. I am sending you a list of names. Please, protect as many as you can.'

'Senator, what is happening?' Anakin demanded. The Force, his intuition, _instinct_ , was screaming at him that something was very, very wrong.

'Master Skywalker,' Mothma said gravely, and there was something in her eyes Anakin didn't like. 'The Emperor is removing his opposition. He is going after the Delegation of 2,000.'

Anakin was out of the room before her final words had been replaced by silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I was trying to minimise cliffhangers, but I couldn't resist! Yes, I am a cliffhanger trash-writer. I'm sorry. I'm trying, though and it was longer than the other chapters have been recently, so there's that.


	15. Coruscanti Skyline

Anakin had made it to the hangar, where the transport they had arrived on was still docked, by the time Obi-Wan had caught up. 'Anakin!' he called. 'Don't be an idiot!'

'I'm going to get R2,' Anakin replied, not looking at him. Obi-Wan could tell he was lying. 'I left him at the Temple and the soldiers will have left by now.' He paused. 'Well, most of them.'

'Padmé is on that list, isn't she?' Obi-Wan sighed. It wasn't a huge leap to make. She, Organa and Mothma were good friends and political allies. Anakin's reaction confirmed the rest.

'I'm going to need R2 if we're going to be travelling through hyperspace,' Anakin said and boarded the ship.

Obi-Wan ran after him. 'You're distracted,' he said, as Anakin sat down in the pilot's seat. 'It's going to get you killed.'

'You should get out. I'm leaving,' Anakin said. He still wouldn't look at Obi-Wan.

'Oh, no you don't,' Obi-Wan countered. Anakin said nothing, but started the engines.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan cried, but it was too late. Anakin had already piloted them out of the hangar and into space, the shape of Coruscant growing in the port window. 'I take it back,' Obi-Wan sighed. 'You're going to get us both killed.'

'I told you to get out,' Anakin said, voice tense.

Obi-Wan sat down. 'Don't do this, Anakin. Let us formulate a plan, gather back up. If you just waited-'

Anakin rounded on him, making eye contact for the first time since the news. 'There is no time, Obi-Wan! Mothma, Organa, they've both already been targeted. Padmé is next on the list. We might-' There was a pause where Obi-Wan considered Anakin might have temporarily lost the power of speech. After an audible breath, he finished, 'We might already be too late.'

'Anakin...' Obi-Wan began, but Anakin's panic was barely contained - he could feel it through the Force - angry red and burning beneath his skin. Everything began to make sense. 'You're the father.' It was a statement of fact, devoid of uncertainty, and, Obi-Wan hoped, judgement. Anakin would get enough later, if they survived.

Anakin flinched but didn't say anything, just breathed and stared ahead as Coruscant grew in front of them.

'You will be expelled from the Jedi Order,' Obi-Wan said quietly.

Anakin just stared ahead, blue eyes hard as stone. 'But we won't have to hide anymore. She'll be alive.'

* * *

Anakin burst out of the turbolift into Padmé's apartments without bothering with stealth. He called her name, desperate, forgoing secrecy for efficiency. He could be too late...

He was about to charge down the hall when she rushed out, dressed in a nightgown, but it was obvious she hadn't gotten any sleep.

'Anakin? Is that you? I was so worried! Did you see the Temple?' As she came closer, she seemed to be reassured enough to be angry. 'What are you doing here? You should have stayed on Utapau! You'll get yourself killed by returning to Coruscant!'

Anakin huffed out a sigh of relief and pulled her to him. 'Get dressed. I'm taking you with me. You're not safe here.'

'I can't! I need to stay in the Senate, fight for the Republic!' she insisted, but at the look on his face, she began heading back to her bedroom. 'What's happened?'

'The Emperor is going after the Delegation of 2,000.' Anakin explained quietly. 'Mothma and Organa have already been targeted by the clone army. You're next on the list of leadership.'

'Targeted!' Padmé shrieked. 'What does that mean? Have they been killed?'

Anakin shook his head and opened the bedroom door. 'They're on the run. Mothma contacted us and Organa may have rejoined with the Tantive IV by now.'

'This isn't right,' she muttered, but Anakin wasn't sure whether it was to herself or to him.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan's voice sounded from down the hall. Anakin cursed as Padmé began to disrobe.

'I'll be back in a minute,' he promised and returned to the living room. 'What?'

Obi-Wan frowned behind his beard and his blue-grey eyes were serious. 'We have company.'

And then Anakin sensed it. The clone army was directly below them. 'Padmé!' he roared. 'We need to go NOW!'

She reappeared in a green dress and tights, hair pulled back in a long braid. 'Where are we going?'

'Landing pad,' Anakin replied succinctly. 'We need to get off the planet and that was the closest we could get the starship.'

'How do we get out?' Obi-Wan asked. 'The main entrance is covered.'

Anakin locked eyes with Padmé before taking her hand to pull her along. 'Speeder park! This way!'

'How do you know?' Obi-Wan demanded, bringing up the rear.

Anakin just sent him a look without stopping. He came to a halt in the shadows by a wall out in the corridor outside Padmé's apartment. On each end of the hallway was a set of turbolifts, one set were the ones that Obi-Wan had always used, but on the other end, was another set of identical ones that he hadn't paid any mind to since he and Anakin were assigned as Padmé's protection three years ago.

It was the second set that Anakin had lead them to and those that opened at his touch.

'A different elevator?' Obi-Wan asked, one eyebrow raised. 'That's your brilliant plan?'

Anakin sent him another look. 'Just trust me,' he said and stepped inside, pulling Padmé with him. Obi-Wan sighed and followed suit.

Once they were inside, Padmé stepped away from Anakin slightly, so she was equally between Anakin and Obi-Wan.

'He knows,' Anakin murmured in her ear, barely audible.

She shot him a questioning look, but didn't say anything on the subject, exclaiming instead, 'This is a risky move for Palpatine. It makes no sense, he needs his opposition to keep favour with those systems! Why is he trying to kill us?'

'Fear,' Obi-Wan said quietly. 'It has always been the ways of the Sith to rule through fear. Besides, with Governors now in control of each system, he can afford to remove his opposition with the right plan.'

'It doesn't seem a very effective tactic,' Anakin argued.

'Palpatine is a Sith?'

'The Sith Lord Darth Sidious,' Obi-Wan confirmed and inclined his head towards the other Jedi. 'I sense this transformation hasn't gone entirely to plan.' He crossed his arms and the fingers of one hand played with his beard. He looked down at Padmé. 'Tell me, has he had any changes to his security we may not know about yet? Anyone who looks like they could be a Jedi?'

'The Jedi are being hunted down,' Padmé reminded him. 'Of course he wouldn't have a Jedi bodyguard.'

'What are you thinking, Obi-Wan?' Anakin asked.

'I am trying to determine if he has an enforcer - or a new apprentice,' Obi-Wan sighed. 'A Sith to replace Dooku. There are always two and if he had one, he wouldn't need to do his dirty work himself, his apprentice would do it for him. Send them to resistant star systems, hunt down the Jedi, ensure the opposition stays in line.'

Anakin nodded, understanding. 'Someone to strike fear into the heart of the galaxy. Someone that isn't him.'

'You can fear the attack-dog, but you respect the master who leashes it,' Padmé murmured.

Obi-Wan sent her an approving look. 'Exactly.'

Anakin stood a little straighter. 'Shh! We need to be silent if we're going to get out of here without being seen.'

At his words, the doors opened into a dark anteroom, with a small door that lead out onto a speeder parking bay, a few storeys above street-level.

Anakin moved between the rows of speeders, looking for something.

'Where's yours?' Obi-Wan asked Padmé.

'I don't have one,' she replied. 'I always use transports.'

'Of course you do.'

'Over here!' Anakin called, quietly as he could. He beckoned Padmé and Obi-Wan over with his gloved hand. Something moved on the street below. They reached the speeder Anakin had picked out, a blue-and-chrome thing that reminded Padmé of R2D2.

She could hear the sound of heavy-booted steps echoing up from the street, and cautiously looked over the edge of the lot.

The place was crawling with soldiers.

She quickly stepped back before she was seen.

'Padmé, come on!'

Anakin and Obi-Wan had already climbed into the front seats of the speeder, leaving Padmé to sit in the back.

The turbolift they had arrived in opened with an audible swoosh!

'Sir!' the voice of a clone called out.

Anakin swore and gunned the engine, lifting off and diving into air traffic.

Horns blared as Anakin ducked and wove the speeder through the ceaseless stream. Obi-Wan screamed at him something about attracting attention, but Anakin ignored him and it was lost to Padmé amidst the roar of the wind and the squeal of the engine.

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder and turned around suddenly. 'Anakin! Four on our tail!' he yelled, and this time, Padmé could hear it clearly. She looked behind her and saw what he was talking about; four speeder bikes were gaining on them.

'Anakin!' she screamed and lurched back as they sped up. Anakin's reckless driving was enough to make her feel sick. She decided to forgive him for it when the laserfire started.

If possible, Anakin's driving became even more erratic, avoiding blaster bolts by inches at most.

'Get down!' he yelled at her, and she obliged, flattening herself against the upholstery as best as she could in her condition.

'What are you doing?' she screamed as Obi-Wan rose in his seat to a standing position, lightsaber a glowing blue beacon.

'Anakin's driving!' he called back, like that explained everything and then he was stepping over the back of the seat so he joined Padmé in the rear. He deflected blaster bolts as they assailed them, trying not to direct them into oncoming traffic and instead back at the clones in pursuit.

Two went down this way and plummeted to the planet's surface far, far below. Anakin's face turned slightly towards the screams that erupted from the fallen clones but didn't look. The little that Padmé could see was a stony mask.

Padmé's heart broke for him.

Anakin nosed the speeder into a dive so steep, Obi-Wan nearly lost his balance and Padmé had to catch herself before she rolled into the footwell. He crashed into the seat beside her. From her minimal view, she could see a landing pad rising to meet them at high speed.

Obi-Wan was still twisted in his seat, fending off attacks from above as the remaining speeder bikes swooped down on them, releasing a volley of laserfire. The speeder shuddered and groaned. They'd been hit.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan yelled, eyeing the smoke pouring from the underside of the speeder with concern.

'I know!' Anakin called back and began levelling out. The landing pad was only meters away. They were still going too fast. 'Get ready!' Obi-Wan twisted back to face the front again and wrapped his arms tightly and carefully around Padmé. 'NOW!' Anakin soared into the air like a shot, a black blur against the neon-lit Coruscanti night. The speeder shuddered and tilted, but Obi-Wan was a solid mass against her as they too launched into the air.

One of the speeder bikes screeched and tumbled to the landing pad as Anakin landed in a crouch, head down, lightsaber ignited, the blade held away from his body in a controlled swing. A third speeder crashed to the landing pad behind him in a heap. Obi-Wan and Padmé landed a little less gracefully, tumbling to the ground, battered but unhurt.

They were both on their feet within moments. Padmé dived forward, towards the most recently fallen clone, a battered heap on the landing pad beneath the wreckage of a speeder bike marred with golden scars.

'Padmé!' Anakin cried, leaping to her side as the remaining clone fired down at her. ' _What are you doing?_ '

'Defending myself!' Padmé replied and found what she was looking for. 'Get to the ship!'

'Not without you!' Their eyes locked for a moment, fiery blue meeting immovable brown.

'Oh, hurry up!' It was Obi-Wan. 'We're under fire here!'

'Stay with me!' Anakin instructed and began moving down the landing strip to the waiting transport at a run, Padmé in front of him. A round of blaster fire from the remaining speeder-mounted clone forced her to turn around and fire over Anakin's shoulder. Anakin stopped where he stood, turning and keeping the clone in his sights, deflecting any blaster bolts that came their way.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan called from the docking ramp.

'Get Padmé to safety!' Anakin called, not looking anywhere but their assailant.

'Don't be an idiot!'

'You said it yourself, Master!' Anakin shouted. 'I'm as good as expelled now, anyway!'

Then, the clone changed targets.

Anakin felt the _wrongness_ in the Force just before it happened. Fuel cells, only a few feet from the transport ship, exploded in a ball of fire and smoke. Obi-Wan, prompted by the Force, leaped out of the way in time, rolling to his feet some ten meters away.

Anakin was outside of the immediate blast radius, catapulted off his feet onto the hard tarmac, lightsaber diminishing to the hilt as it flew out of his hand.

Padmé wasn't so lucky.

The closest to the conflagration, she lay on her side as fire flickered and died around her. The wreckage of the transport ship caught and flames licked on the inside, warping the durasteel hull with the intense heat.

Anakin scrambled to his feet as he took in the scene. The nearest ships that weren't on fire lay at odd angles, tilted off their landing feet. Around them metal hulls groaned and flames cackled. The air tasted of rocket fuel and ash. The Force felt like death.

The clone came around for another pass, but no sooner had it turned around again, then it was being shot out of the sky. A blur leapt past Anakin. The hum of a lightsaber and the screech of metal as it was rent apart reached his ears before dying away into deafening silence more permanently.

Padmé still hadn't moved.

Padmé.


	16. Jedi on the Tantive IV

'Padmé! Padmé!' Anakin burst into action, the initial numb shock replaced by a frenetic energy as panic threatened to rise up and choke him from the inside. He pelted across the landing pad, heedless of the still burning wreckages he passed until she was right in front of him. He knelt beside her, shaking from his head to his boots, and lifted his hands to check her over.

The first thing he noticed was her dress was singed. Her small body was almost curled up on itself as if protecting her swollen belly, the stolen blaster still clasped in her hand. Dark smudges marred her face; whether ash or something more serious, it was impossible to tell.

'Padmé,' he muttered frantically over and over, as he ran his hands lightly over her, checking for any obvious broken bones or, more importantly, signs of life. His flesh hand found her neck and pressed, searching for a pulse, anything, and found her warm to the touch. Not just the warmth of the so recently deceased their body heat hadn't entirely left them yet, but the the warmth of the still living.

And there... thready, but present, a beat beneath his fingertips.

'Is she alright? The transport has been destroyed, we'll have to find another one.' Anakin didn't realise Obi-Wan was talking until his old Master put a hand on his shoulder, another appearing in his vision, Anakin's discarded lightsaber waving in front of his face.

'She's alive,' Anakin replied, not looking up at Obi-Wan, instead gingerly gathering Padmé into his arms. 'We'll take her skiff. It's recognisably hers, but it's better than nothing. I know the ship.'

'Are _you_ alright?' Obi-Wan asked now, jogging after Anakin's long legged strides towards the ship in question, positioned just outside the damaged-zone. Anakin didn't reply, but the boarding ramp opened of its own accord and he ran inside, Padmé still draped, unmoving, in his embrace. Obi-Wan cursed and got the ship ready to fly.

'Anakin!' He found the young man laying her gently on a cot in the captain's quarters. He thought he caught the back of Anakin's ungloved hand caress her cheek before he turned to face Obi-Wan.

Wordlessly, he exited the room, brushing past Obi-Wan on his way out. Obi-Wan was hit by a wave of emotion from the contact, but it was gone as soon as Anakin had left the room. Obi-Wan was torn. Someone should stay with Padmé. He thought perhaps Anakin had left Obi-Wan here for that purpose so he could fly the ship. The young Jedi Master had always turned to physical things, ships, droids, fighting, when he had to work through an issue. It was his form of meditation.

Still, Obi-Wan couldn't leave his best friend alone in this state. He was unstable, emotionally compromised and distracted.

A familiar beeping noise and exclamation of surprise made up Obi-Wan's mind.

' _R2_? What are you doing here?'

A series of beeps and tootles met the question and Obi-Wan stepped out to find Anakin crouched in front of none other than R2D2. He looked up at Obi-Wan.

'He says that he snuck out of the Temple and tried to get to Padmé's but there were too many soldiers, so he decided to wait in here where he could try to find me.'

Obi-Wan managed a small smile. 'He's a smart one,' he agreed. 'R2, go watch over Padmé. Anakin and I will be on the bridge. Let us know if anything in her condition changes.'

R2 beeped and wheeled off into the room where Padmé lay.

'We have stayed here too long,' Obi-Wan sighed when R2 had gone. 'We should leave now.'

Anakin nodded, face returned to that hardened mask. He stood and headed to the bridge and Obi-Wan followed. Once Padmé got the medical attention she needed, the two Jedi Masters were going to have a very serious conversation.

* * *

Senator Organa, Master Yoda, a medical droid and two more Jedi were waiting in the hangar of the _Tantive IV_ for Anakin and Obi-Wan's return. Anakin exited first, Padmé once again in his arms. He was white-faced as she was carted away in a stretcher, accompanied by the medical droid and the Senator.

That left Anakin and Obi-Wan to meet with the Jedi as the _Tantive IV_ made the jump to hyperspace. The newcomers were Jedi Masters Luminara Unduli, a well-respected Mirialan, and Aayla Secura, a skilled Twi'lek fighter.

'Master Unduli, Master Secura,' Obi-Wan said as Anakin watched Padmé disappear around a corner. 'I am glad to see you have survived.'

'And you, Master Kenobi,' Luminara replied with a regal nod of her head. 'Master Secura and I have just been appraised on recent events.'

'Good,' Obi-Wan said and he, Yoda and the two new Jedi began walking towards the bridge. 'Then we should waste no time in formulating a plan. Anakin!'

Anakin turned to see they had nearly crossed the hangar. Feeling like a youngling again, Anakin nodded absently. 'Coming, Master!'

Once he had rejoined the group, Aayla ducked back to speak with him. 'Are you alright, Master Skywalker?' she asked.

Anakin frowned, trying not to show any physical signs of feeling like his guts were being wrung out like a sponge. 'I'm just worried about... Senator Amidala,' he replied slowly, carefully.

_What would Padmé do if she were in your position?_

_She would do her duty._

Anakin set his eyes dead ahead. She was going to be alright. She _had_ to be.

'You saved a great many lives today, Anakin,' Aayla was saying. 'Thank you.'

Anakin nodded at the statement. 'I couldn't leave the younglings there to die.'

Aayla managed a small smile. 'We need more Jedi like you, Skywalker.'

Anakin tried not to wince at the compliment. He was a terrible Jedi. He had nearly ruined everything. 'You really don't.'

* * *

'There is no way we can save all of them,' Obi-Wan sighed. The three Jedi had reconvened at the bridge, where they had been joined by Organa's Captain, Raymus Antilles, and the two Padawans, Zett Jukassa and Desta Ebellenya. 'Even if we split up.'

'Is there any way we can contact other Jedi?' Anakin asked. 'See if there is anyone who can help us?' He paced the room, arms crossed. Obi-Wan's eyes followed him, concern plain to see.

'There might be,' Aayla mused. 'But the trouble is finding them. All the surviving Jedi have gone to ground.'

'Master?' one of the Padawans, the boy, Zett, asked. 'Isn't the Emperor essentially going down the list?'

'Most likely,' Obi-Wan admitted. 'Anakin, could you please sit down?'

'No,' Anakin replied and kept pacing.

'A suggestion, have you, young padawan?' Yoda asked, ignoring the other two.

Jukassa shrugged. 'Only that taking out the leadership would cripple the delegation. Since that hasn't worked yet, taking out their numbers is the next best bet. With Mothma, Organa and Amidala-' Anakin winced inwardly at the mention of her name, but nobody seemed to notice save for Obi-Wan. '-out of contact with them, it would take time to find another leader among them, to organise against the Emperor, which would give the Empire time to get rid of them.'

'What is your suggestion, young one?' Luminara asked.

Zett looked between the six Jedi in attendance and the Captain. 'I'm suggesting we split into two groups. One goes down the list, defending those as they're targeted, the others do the opposite, sending into hiding the ones that the Empire hasn't gotten to yet. Hopefully, that would mean we eventually meet in the middle.'

'We don't have anywhere near enough numbers for that,' Obi-Wan pointed out.

'You've got at least one clone, sir,' Captain Rex announced, entering the bridge. Anakin stopped pacing to watch his progress. He had forgotten the clone was on board. Luminara and Aayla were immediately on the alert, reaching for their lightsabers. Aayla had hers ignited and ready in a heartbeat.

Rex threw up his hands. 'I'm sorry, Generals,' he apologised. 'I didn't mean to alarm you. I'm a friendly.' He indicated the fact he was unarmed. 'See? Not trying to kill you.'

'My apologies, Captain,' Aayla muttered, sheathing her blade.

Rex turned to Anakin. 'I've been on the lookout for other clones who are on our side, General, and I haven't had much luck.'

'Keep looking,' Anakin said. 'We might find something. In the meantime, we have a situation.'

'This group is called the Delegation of 2,000 for a reason,' Luminara pointed out. 'We won't be able to see to each one individually.'

Anakin looked up. 'So we have a third group. One goes down the list, one goes up and one goes to the Central Communications Tower and sends a message to the entire Delegation telling them to take their family and get out - if they haven't already.'

'The _Central Communications_ Tower?' Luminara clarified.

' _Are you insane_?' Desta demanded, then her aqua eyes went wide as every other pair of eyes in the room found her. 'Uh-I mean, I- I'm sorry, Master. Please forgive me, I-'

Her mortified rambling was cut short by R2 gliding into the room, beeping urgently.

What was left of Anakin's colour drained from his face and he dashed out of the room for the second time that day.

For the second time, Obi-Wan followed, a dawning sense of dread sending him hurtling down the corridor after his best friend.

* * *

Padmé's ship was being warmed up as Anakin raced into the hangar. 'I'm coming with you!' he roared as he sprinted, crossing the floor in seconds, Obi-Wan tearing along behind him.

Senator Organa, who was watching as Padmé was pushed onto the ramp and on board the ship, sent a questioning look at Anakin. Obi-Wan, sensing that if Anakin didn't get what he wanted, he would start breaking things, called out, 'Let him!'

Anakin was already on board anyway. Obi-Wan boarded after R2, just as the ramp closed behind them. Anakin had disappeared down the short corridor after Padmé and the medical droid. Obi-Wan didn't follow this time, instead turning to Senator Organa. 'What's wrong?'

Organa looked grave. 'Senator Amidala's condition is worsening. The medical droid insisted she is taken to a hospital where she can get proper care. She has burns on one side of her body that will heal with bacta, but she suffered internal damage that isn't as easy to fix.'

'Where are you taking her?'

'There is an asteroid field in a neutral system in the Subterrel sector that has a medical centre, only twelve parsecs away. She will be beyond Palpatine's reach there. For now.'

Obi-Wan nodded his approval. 'Has she said anything?' he asked. Senator Organa shook his head. Obi-Wan felt the jump into hyperspace without having to look out of the windows.

'She regained consciousness soon after we arrived, but she was in a lot of pain so the medical droid sedated her. We didn't get anything useful from her, she was delirious.'

Obi-Wan met Organa's eyes. 'What did she say?'

'She was calling for Master Skywalker. Something like, "Anakin, help me please,"' Organa sighed. 'Is there something I should know about? Captain Antilles told me that you and Master Skywalker left suddenly for Coruscant after Senator Mothma's transmission. Was it because she is in love with him?'

'Did she tell you that?' Obi-Wan asked carefully.

Organa shook his head. 'I'm a married man, Master Jedi. I know the signs when they present themselves. Especially on such a close friend.'

Obi-Wan sighed and sat down. 'I wish I could say the same. This was a surprise to me.'

Organa followed his example. 'Don't blame yourself, General. How were you to know?'

The fact that he had practically raised Anakin since the boy was nine years old aside, the Senator spoke a kernel of truth.

'I suppose,' Obi-Wan admitted. He stood. 'If you will excuse me, I feel I must check on the Senator's condition.'


	17. The General, The Jedi, The Chosen One

_He could use the Force to stop the ones he cared about from dying_.

Anakin sat by Padmé's bedside for the entire journey, gripping her still, small hand in both of his. Despite her protruding belly, she looked tiny - and fragile. Some of the ash had been cleaned from her face and he could see the shallow cuts underneath had been seen to. She was still fading, though - he could feel it - and there was nothing he could do. Her injuries were extensive, visible through the wide holes cut into the cloth of her dress so the medical droid could attend to her burns.

_He should have gotten her out of the way. He reacted too slow. If he had just-_

'Anakin. There was nothing you could do.'

Anakin didn't know if he had said what he was thinking out loud or if Obi-Wan could just read him that easily. Frankly, either possibility was unfavourable, but he had other things to worry about.

He could literally feel Padmé fading in his arms. He couldn't breathe.

'Anakin, you need to calm down.'

Anakin followed Obi-Wan's advice, but he didn't think this was exactly what Obi-Wan had meant. He closed his eyes and focused on the Force, drawing it into himself like a bowstring and aiming it at Padmé's flickering Force signature. He took it all in and channelled it through his hands into her, willing it to fix whatever was taking her from him, letting it's hungry claws take him instead, swallow him whole if it had to.

_He'd give anything, just help him save Padmé's life._

'Anakin! Anakin! Stop! ANAKIN!'

Pain, blinding white and dazzling in his right ear sent him sprawling, severing his concentration and his connection to the Force and to Padmé.

'What did you do?' Anakin yelled, but he had never seen perfect, dependable, _calm_ Obi-Wan so irate before. Not in the thirteen years he'd known him. He had never been grabbed and held against a wall by Obi-Wan either, but that was a secondary issue compared to the fear and anger in his mentor's eyes. It blazed from the minimal distance between them and redirected Anakin's own for the moment.

'What did _I_ do?' Obi-Wan hissed. 'I stopped you from destroying yourself! The Force is not all light, Anakin, you know that! The Light Side creates, the Dark Side only destroys!'

'You punched me!' Anakin gasped, slightly dizzy from the two too many head injuries he had sustained today and shoved Obi-Wan away.

'You weren't listening! Don't you get it? _This_ is why attachment is forbidden! _This_ is why the Jedi live lives outside themselves! To stop situations like _this_ from happening! You're losing yourself, Anakin!'

'I'm losing _her_!' Anakin screamed and pointed to Padmé's still form. 'I can't-' he struggled for breath.

'Oh, no, you've been losing pieces of yourself for _months!_ ' Obi-Wan countered. 'Killing Dooku like that? Killing Grievous - an unarmed prisoner? Marrying a Senator, breaking your oath to the Jedi Order? What happened to the boy who wanted to go back to Tatooine and free slaves? What happened to the man who would do anything for the Republic? The General, the Jedi worthy of becoming the youngest Master in the history of the Jedi Order? What happened to the Chosen One?'

'DON'T!' Anakin roared and his eyes blazed more intensely than Obi-Wan's ever could, like a switch had been flipped. He was a feral thing, worked into a lather and rattling the bars of his cage. 'DON'T LECTURE ME OBI-WAN! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!'

'Of course I have a right!' Obi-Wan retorted, but his anger was already dissipating, paling beside Anakin's furor. Calm, dignified Obi-Wan, the _Negotiator_ , just wasn't built for rage like Anakin was. He couldn't burn like Anakin could, afire, incandescent, as all his suppressed emotions boiled to the surface. 'You are like my brother, Anakin. I love you.' He raised his hands. 'Let me help you. Don't do this.'

'I...' Anakin panted and he seemed to deflate slightly. His presence in the Force, moments ago swelled enough it could have suffocated the entire room, retreated back into his body and then seemed to collapse in on himself, like a black hole, tearing him apart from the inside. 'I can't live without her,' he finished and stumbled backwards against the wall, sliding down until he reached the floor. 'I can't...'

Obi-Wan waited a moment to determine the worst of it had passed before crossing the small room and sitting next to Anakin. 'I know,' he said quietly. 'I know.'

* * *

The medical centre on Polis Massa was a sterile white rabbit warren of corridors leading to operating rooms, patient rooms and laboratories. Anakin, Organa and Obi-Wan were met on the landing pad by a delegation of medical droids, which took Padmé away and lead Anakin and the others to down a blur of corridors, chattering about vital signs and statistics, most of which Anakin didn't hear.

Padmé was already inside a suite when they arrived and were instructed to wait inside a observation room, forced to look on through a viewing window.

'Wait,' Obi-Wan called, as the medical droid escorting them was about to leave. He indicated Anakin to the droid. 'He's family. He should be allowed to see her.'

The droid nodded respectfully at Anakin and said, 'You will be informed of any developments,' it promised. 'And when her situation has been assessed, you will be able to see her.'

'Thank you,' Anakin muttered and the droid left the room.

The wait was agonising. Anakin thought the only thing worse than watching the droids stabilize her was _not_ watching - especially because he could still feel every flicker, every dip in her vitality, every time she slid closer towards death. He paced the observation room, arms alternating between wrapping themselves around himself and itching to punch something - a wall, a droid, one of his companions - it didn't really matter what it was, but he felt the need to do _something_.

Instead, he was helpless.

Sirens inside the operating room wailed suddenly. One of the droids broke away and headed towards them. Anakin met it halfway.

'What's happening?' he demanded, not bothering to keep his voice down.

'The internal injuries are not as severe as first thought,' the droid began, which seemed to be contradicted by the chaos of the other room. 'However, treatment is being made difficult by the pregnancy. If we are to save all of them, we must deliver the babies.'

'Babies?' Obi-Wan asked, joining them.

The droid nodded. 'She is carrying twins.'

Anakin turned on the spot, hands running agitatedly through his hair, mind racing so fast only one thought made it through the haze.

_This was happening_ now _!_

'Do it,' he said quickly, returning his gaze to the droid. 'Just do it.'

'Yes, sir,' the droid replied and hovered back into the room as the medical droids' actions changed pattern, then retreated. This time, the door was left open for Anakin to follow.

Through the Force, he felt Obi-Wan give him a push, just gently enough he got the message.

'Go on, Anakin,' Organa murmured and Anakin needed no more encouragement.

Heart racing faster than a ship in hyperspace, he ducked through the doors.

Padmé was awake. It was the first thing he registered - her awareness, her pain, pulsing through the Force and it tore at him. He had _done_ this to her. He hadn't been quick enough, he hadn't protected her - them - and now she was dying because of his actions, or inactions, really.

'Anakin!' she screamed. Her hair was a messy tangle of sweat soaked strands and she was deathly pale. He felt her fear through the Force and it propelled him to her. He had to push past a droid or two, but he had to be there, by her side, to relieve her pain.

'I'm here,' he said, gripping her small hand as tightly as he dared, as a stool appeared beneath him. She squeezed back even tighter, but her strength was fading. 'Padmé!'

He felt the pull, like the Force itself was as desperate as Anakin to ease her suffering. It felt like shadowy corners and other invisible places, a night without any stars and the black cloth of a cloak, begging to be investigated, to see the invisible, chase the stars and look under the hood for an answer, a way to save Padmé from _this_.

She was crying, tears spilling into her hair. Her back arched and she screamed again. Anakin looked wildly around for any sign of what the droids were doing to her. They were supposed to save her! Anakin couldn't do it by himself.

'Anakin!' she cried again. Panic seized him even tighter.

She was dying and there was nothing he could do. Again, the thought that all of this was his fault entered his treacherous mind. She was fading fast. _It was too late, they were too late._

An infant's cry joined hers now.

Everything was coming undone in front of his eyes. Everything worth fighting for. Anakin wanted to take after his wife and child and scream too. He'd never been so scared in his entire life - or angry. This was Palpatine's fault, too.

He wanted to take Padmé's face in his hands, but they were shaking so badly all he could do was hold onto hers as she gripped him tightly enough he thought his hands would break. He wanted to look into her eyes and tell her she was going to be okay, but they were closing and he could sense the internal battle raging within her, just to stop them from shutting completely.

'Padmé!' he yelled, putting the Force behind the name, willing it to give her the strength she so desperately needed.

A second cry joined the first and the sound wrenched Anakin's gaze from his wife to his child.

Something caught his eye over Padmé's shoulder that made his heart stop.

A pair of eyes were reflected off the transparisteel of the monitors, superimposed over Padmé's crashing vital signs.

Yellow eyes. Evil eyes.

Anakin staggered back in shock, the stool he'd been sitting on flying back into the wall with a crash. Padmé was dead - or at least dying - and he remembered those eyes, he'd had nightmares about those eyes and tried for hours to figure out who - or what - they'd belonged to.

They were his eyes.


	18. Anakin's Dreams Come True (Sort Of)

_The Dark Side is the pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural._

The heart monitor screamed.

_A dark lord of the Sith... He could even create life._

Panic clouded his vision until he could see nothing but the flashing monitors. Even Padmé was obscured from his view by the shock of what he _could_ see. Yellow eyes staring at him from his own features.

_The Dark Side only destroys!_

He was tainted. Evil, but he had never had so much energy. His hands shook with it, this passion, this pain, this _power_. His body thrummed with it, his breathing coming fast with all the emotions broiling inside of him. It felt like he had unlocked something within himself, a key to the unlimited power of the Force, kept from him until now, enough to save Padmé, enough to save anybody he chose. He could do anything. Snuff out life with just a thought, tear down worlds, rule an empire, despite the terror and the grief and the loathing at the man who had done this to his beloved Padmé...

Anakin's throat closed over and the emotions seemed to grip him in a steel vice.

It had held him still long enough that a medi-droid hovered in his direction, carrying a white bundle in its metal arms. The sight seemed so _wrong_ somehow, so cold, but horror soon shoved the thought aside as he realised the droid's intentions too late. He took up the baby reflexively, still drowning, and looked down. It was a boy. His _son_. He was strong with the Force, Anakin could _feel it_ already and it thrilled him the same way it terrified him. He needed to protect this person, this tiny, tiny person, but some primal part of him wanted to dash the newborn's head against the wall for being a part of Padmé, still alive when she was not, and being part him, so tainted already by the blood on Anakin's hands, Dooku, Grievous, the many lives he had taken during the war, and the evil in his eyes...

'Get him away from me!' Anakin screamed and shoved the baby at the droid. His world was crashing down around him and he needed air, his vision tinting red with the need for release - or was that the need to destroy something? Either way, he needed to get out of there right _now_.

As soon as his arms were free, he was out the door, fleeing down a corridor and just running, taking turns at random, trying to get rid of the power clawing at him so tightly he felt like he could barely move. The part of him that needed to protect the twins wished Obi-Wan would take his children far away from him, somewhere he could never find them, just to save them from the darkness that was swallowing him right now and didn't seem to want to let go.

Or maybe he was the one who wouldn't let go. This power... it was terrifying, but it made him feel strong, invincible, more powerful than any Jedi ever, and it was the most exhilarating feeling he'd ever experienced, but tainted so strongly by the darkness, like the rapids of a river so polluted that even the most violent churning white waters were coloured brown. And it _hurt_.

On his life, did it hurt.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan's voice was the trigger for Anakin's explosion.

'Get away from me!' he ordered, waving him away the one might do a fly, the effort not to blow the corridor apart, even while he felt like he was imploding, putting his body under immense physical strain. He hadn't even intended to use the Force, but Obi-Wan's _ooof!_ of surprise told Anakin he'd accidentally thrown his old master against the wall.

He needed to get out. He needed to breathe. He needed...

'Anakin!'

'OBI-WAN!' Anakin roared and looked at his former master for the first time, red and yellow gaze searing into Obi-Wan's so intensely that Obi-Wan recoiled as if he'd been burned, too.

'Oh, Anakin,' Obi-Wan murmured after a moment of silent shock, taking a tentative step closer, one arm out as if calming a feral animal. Anakin, breathing hard and panicky, wondered very briefly if perhaps he was. Then, the thought flitted away, jarred by the image of Padmé's brown eyes closing, those beautiful brown eyes, and Anakin sank to his knees with a cry.

She was gone. His Padmé. His Angel, _gone_ and there was nothing Anakin - even with his new found power - could do to save her.

* * *

Everything about this seemed wrong to Obi-Wan. He could feel the intense pain emanating from his former Padawan in waves, washing over everything and everyone in the room. The air felt thick with it, but that wasn't what made Obi-Wan worry.

He watched through the transparisteel, flanked by Senator Organa, as Anakin sat at Padmé's side, unable to do anything other than watch and hope the medi-droids would still be able to save her. Then, something in the room changed. Obi-Wan couldn't tell what it was, couldn't sense any change, but suddenly Anakin stumbled back with a crash and a cry. Obi-Wan felt his surge of panic but couldn't see what had caused it - the situation hadn't suddenly taken a turn for the worse, had it? Padmé had been declining steadily so that wasn't it. The babies' vitals were all healthy, so that wasn't it either.

Anakin's back was to Obi-Wan, practically pressed against the transparisteel, but the older Jedi could see he had something in his arms. He was breathing heavily and Obi-Wan could feel his panic building. He had just resolved to step into the room to try and help when Anakin shoved a bundle of white cloth at the droid and burst out of the room so fast Obi-Wan could barely catch a glimpse of his face.

At Anakin's exit, Bail moved to take his place and comfort his friend. Although Obi-Wan knew that Padmé was no longer conscious, he didn't stop the Senator and instead ran after Anakin, throwing a, 'look after her until I get back!' Over his shoulder as he went.

Anakin had always had a strong Force-signature. The intensity of it made more so by physical proximity or when Anakin was feeling particularly emotional. The Jedi had always scorned those emotions not related to things like compassion or desire to do the greater good and it was something Anakin had always struggled with.

Obi-Wan had always quietly maintained that Anakin's apparently unstable emotional state was purely because the young Jedi _felt_ more intensely than other people, always in the extreme. He didn't feel sadness, he felt despair, he didn't feel happiness, he felt euphoria, he didn't just love, he adored, he didn't feel anxiety, he felt terror and he didn't feel anger, he felt fury. In the end, there had never been anything that Obi-Wan had been able to do. It was as much a fact of his biology as his midichlorian count or his blue eyes.

At least now, it helped Obi-Wan find Anakin with so little effort, that in itself was disconcerting. The boy's Force-signature was like a beacon. Or a flame.

'Anakin,' he said when he finally caught up with his old apprentice.

'Get away from me,' Anakin choked, but stopped running, as if he'd been tired out. As he spoke, he flicked a hand in Obi-Wan's direction absently, but with enough of the Force behind the action to send Obi-Wan crashing against the wall hard enough to see stars. He hadn't even glanced in Obi-Wan's direction. The most the older Jedi could see of his face was the faint curve of his jaw through his mess of golden brown curls.

'Anakin!' Obi-Wan called again, this time ready for any outbursts... Except what happened next.

Anakin screamed Obi-Wan's name and spun to face him with such vehemence that Obi-Wan took a step back in shock.

A traitorous part of Obi-Wan wished he hadn't seen Anakin's face. It was twisted in so much pain, Obi-Wan's heart broke for him, but his eyes... Oh, goodness, his eyes were Sith yellow _._

_No..._

_Oh, Anakin._

Steeling himself, Obi-Wan took a step closer, caution making him go very slowly, concerned that any sudden movement would send Anakin running again. He looked to be barely aware of his surroundings, so lost in his own emotional tempest. The thought was confirmed when Anakin finally sank to his knees and began to sob.

Now a much more accessible height, Obi-Wan risked a hand on the young man's shoulder. When that didn't send him running screaming, Obi-Wan crouched down in front of him and placed his other hand on Anakin's other shoulder. He needed to calm down. His family needed him to calm down.

Anakin was vulnerable in this state, his mental shields so focused on keeping something within himself at bay, that almost no effort was being made to keep anything out. Obi-Wan hesitated. The situation called for drastic measures and they were running out of time. The older Jedi tapped into the Force, closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing and just being _calm_. He gathered that feeling into himself and wrapped himself in it, allowing it to build before releasing it back into the Force - or more specifically, into the Force surrounding Anakin.

'Anakin listen to me,' Obi-Wan said quietly, gritting his teeth against the flurry of emotions Anakin inadvertently released upon his intrusion. There was so much grief and fear and _self-loathing_ in there that it hurt and Obi-wan had a bad feeling he was only scratching the surface. 'I'm so sorry, but you need to be strong right now. I know what it is you think you're doing, but you can't protect them by abandoning them. I know you think they'll be safer without you, but you're _wrong._ And...'

Obi-Wan stretched his awareness back down the hallways he'd passed through to find Anakin, searching for signs of life and found four signatures. Two were blazing so bright - just like Anakin's - they could only be the twins. One was steady, but fainter - something Obi-Wan had long since learned to associate with non-Force-sensitives - Senator Organa and the final one was flickering, but definitely still _there_.

Padmé was alive and fighting.

Obi-Wan took this knowledge and his certainty at its truth and released that with his calmness in Anakin's direction, reinforcing it with his words. 'And she's alive, Anakin. Let go of your fear and your grief and your hatred. She's _alive_.'

Finally, Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan. In his eyes, there was a tentative hope... and they were blue.


	19. The Shadows and the Light

Obi-Wan lead Anakin back through the halls, not allowing himself to think further than ensuring they both returned to the others safely. Part of his mind was still focused on Padmé's signature. It was fainter naturally, and she was still very weak, which made it a suitable challenge to take his mind off what had happened in the hallway until he could discuss it with Master Yoda, far from prying ears.

Padmé had been moved since they left, now lying, unstirring in a sterile white bed, sheets tucked over her still swollen belly. He felt a spike in Anakin's anxiety as they entered, but it calmed by itself when Anakin saw her chest rising and falling rhythmically. She was still unconscious, but she was alive and, now, stable.

Anakin was by her side in an instant, talking to the medi-droid about her condition, completely oblivious to Senator Organa, who had just entered.

Quietly, Obi-Wan excused himself and activated his comm.

'Master, we need to talk,' he murmured once the Grandmaster's blue holo was standing before him.

'Long overdue, I think,' Yoda agreed and Obi-Wan told him everything. When he was finished, Yoda was silent for a long while. Finally, he said, 'A disturbing development this is.'

'Do you think he'll have to leave the Order?' Obi wan asked.

Yoda shook his head. 'When sure there is an Order to leave we are, discuss this we will.'

* * *

The twins were moved into Padmé's room after half an hour, deemed perfectly strong and healthy. Obi-Wan waited a further half an hour before venturing into the room himself.

His former padawan knelt silently at Padmé's bedside, one arm absently stroking her leg through the sheets, the other pillowing his head where it rested beside her knee. Something in her had changed since Obi-Wan had last seen her. She was a little less pale now, and looked more like she was sleeping deeply, rather than laid out for her own funeral. Her hand had slipped from resting on her belly to resting on Anakin's elbow.

Obi-Wan knew that time was precious at that moment, that there were so many things they needed to do that did not include taking in the scene, the Skywalker family ( _family!_ ) still and sleeping. He knew he needed to rouse Anakin, rally him for the battle ahead, but it had been a very long time since he had seen Anakin like this; shoulders relaxed, closed eyes barely visible through his hair, mouth slack, breathing deeply.

'She's going to be okay,' Anakin said finally without moving. Of course, Obi-Wan knew he hadn't actually been asleep, not like the other beings in the room, but it had been nice to pretend for a moment.

'I know,' Obi-Wan sighed and stepped further into the room. 'Which means it's time to go.'

Anakin looked up at him, straightening up and opening his eyes. 'What?' he asked, and just like that the tension in his shoulders returned. 'No- Obi-Wan-'

Obi-Wan stood in front of him, the stern Jedi Master once more. 'Anakin, there is a war going on, don't forget that. The Clone Wars may be almost over, but the Sith are ruling an empire out there.' Anakin's blue eyes widened as if he had forgotten that fact, and perhaps he had. 'You may have made your vows to Padmé,' Obi-Wan said softly. 'But you also made a vow to the Republic and the Jedi Order. They need you too. More so than your family right now.'

Anakin's eyes seemed to dim a little as he took a deep breath and rose until he stood taller than Obi-Wan. He stared down at Padmé, and then the twin cribs in the corner. He sighed and then nodded. 'Time to go to war.'

* * *

They left Senator Organa on Polis Massa and took Padmé's skiff. Sitting in the pilot's seat, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan. 'So, what is the plan?'

'Master Unduli is moving down the list of the Delegation in order to intercept the Emperor's forces. Master Secura is moving up the list as fast as she can, leaving us the task of taking Sidious and getting the word out.'

'We're actually using my plan?' Anakin asked. 'That was an insane plan.'

'We're in an insane situation, Anakin,' Obi-Wan replied. 'And no one could think of anything better.'

'What about Master Yoda?' Anakin asked.

'He's meeting us at the Jedi Temple, and he and I will go and confront Palpatine.'

Anakin spun further around in his seat. ' _What?_ ' he demanded. 'What about me? You're not going to make me wait there for you! Palpatine killed Master Windu - I've fought him! You're going to need my help!' Anakin pressed. 'He's so much more powerful than Dooku was!'

Obi-Wan shook his head. 'Of course not. You and R2 will go to the main communications tower and plant this,' he handed Anakin an information chip, 'into the main systems. R2 knows what to do from there.'

Anakin glared at the chip. 'Let me guess, it's the message to the remaining Delegation members?'

Obi-Wan nodded in confirmation. 'And a coded message for any remaining Jedi, appraising them of the situation from Master Yoda.' At Anakin's obvious hesitance, Obi-Wan chided, 'Don't let your arrogance and lust for revenge cloud your judgement, Anakin. We will not underestimate Darth Sidious, and you will join us once you have completed your mission.'

Anakin glowered and pursed his lips, but replied with a defeated, 'Yes, Master.'

Obi-Wan had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

The Emperor sat at his desk and frowned. The Jedi were dead, or almost all of them were, but he still had one loose end to tie off. Anakin Skywalker was still alive and, for now, on the side of the Light.

He had always been able to feel the boy through the Force, had attuned himself to Skywalker's every flicker of emotion, and there was almost always something to sense. Sidious had sensed when the boy flew in his first podrace, had sensed the first (and last) time he had won. He had sensed the boy's joy at being freed, and, most importantly, the anguish he had felt when he realised his mother had not found the same fate.

It was not mind-reading, that sort of Force-connection could take a lifetime to perfect, but emotions were something every Force-Sensitive could pick up on and for Sidious, with someone such as Anakin Skywalker, distance had been no object. Sidious hadn't even needed to have met the boy beforehand. Skywalker had always been his and always would be. The boy was Sidious' most prized possession and he didn't even know it.

However, Skywalker could be dealt with later. For now... Sidious's disfigured face split into a smile as he sensed the newcomer outside his office. _It was about time..._

The guards flanking the doors rose off the floor suddenly and crashed against the wall, crumpling to the floor in identical red heaps. Between them, the diminutive figure of the wizened Jedi Grandmaster limped, gimmer stick tapping the floor in time with his ancient grunts of effort.

Mas Amedda, Sidious's most faithful lapdog, shared one look with the Emperor and left the room without a word. The chagrian always knew when to make himself scarce.

'I hear a new political strategy you have, Emperor,' Master Yoda announced with only the barest hint of irony. 'Or should I call you Darth Sidious.'

Of course Skywalker would have told them his true name, Sidious mused. It was the problem with needing Skywalker alive. Still, this changed nothing.

'Master Yoda,' the Emperor replied, voice dripping with contempt he had not been able to make apparent until now. 'You survived.'

'Surprised, are you?'

_Oh, yes... he was going to savour this..._

'Your arrogance blinds you, Master Yoda.' _Time to teach the teacher._ 'Now you will experience the full power of the Dark Side.'

The Emperor raised his hands and called upon the Force. The Dark Side embraced him, bent to his will, and he sent it directly at Yoda in great arcs of blue lightning. The bolts slammed into the Grandmaster's frail body, lifting him of his feet and bouncing off the wall to land on the floor, smoking.

The Emperor cackled.

* * *

Anakin ran through the dark lower levels of the main communications tower, trying not to think about the clones lying at the entrance, or the three he and R2 had met in the hall. The astromech wheeled along behind him, beeping every now and then to warn Anakin of more incoming soldiers.

Obi-Wan and Yoda must have reached the Senate building by now. The thought spurred him on. The sooner he got R2 plugged in, the sooner he could get over to them.

The main control room was still heavily fortified against entry by force, a precaution put in place by the Jedi in the unlikely event that Coruscant was attacked and their communications towers targeted.

_Well, that starship sailed weeks ago_ , Anakin mused bitterly as he and R2 worked on forcing entry. The doors had been designed to withstand battle droids, not Jedi, and a few slashes with his lightsaber and a Force-push with enough power to impress even Obi-Wan, and the doors blew apart to the sound of blaster fire. Anakin waded through the streaks of deadly plasma, the Force guiding him, his reflexes protecting him from damage. His lightsaber flashed around him without a thought, deflecting bolts and cutting down clones.

At least they weren't the 501st this time around, though the 187th Legion was still made up of troopers Anakin had fought beside personally when fighting with Master Windu on Ryloth.

It took a few minutes, but eventually the shooting stopped as the last clone crumpled to the floor.

'Plug in, R2,' Anakin said, body surging with adrenaline, looking around at the carnage, a mess of white and purple armour, scorch marks and discarded blasters. As R2 did as he was told, Anakin picked his way back to the wrecked doors, on the lookout for reinforcements.

He could sense clones approaching around one corner. Soon bootsteps heralded their imminent arrival.

'R2!'

The droid whistled in triumph and wheeled away from the console, using his thrusters to reach Anakin's side, rather than trying to navigate the compressed battlefield.

'Good, let's go.'

Anakin ran.

* * *

'I have waited a long time for this moment,' Sidious gloated. 'My little green friend.'

Yoda staggered to his feet, but once upright, his stance was steady.

'At last the Jedi are no more,' Sidious continued with obscene relish. Yoda glowered at the Sith Lord.

'Not if anything to say about it _I_ have.' He thrust both hands forward, channelling the Force with a sound like a thunderclap and Sidious was sent tumbling back, over his desk and chair, spilling onto the floor. Sidious used his momentum and the Force to leap to the door, but Yoda anticipated the move and intercepted him. The Force guided the Grandmaster's lightsaber into a gnarled green hand and it flared into life, a frozen lick of green flame.

He eyed Sidious with a challenging glare that failed to move the Sith Lord. 'If so powerful you are, why leave?'

The Emperor crowed. 'You cannot stop me. The Dark side always prevails.'

'Faith in the Dark side of the Force, misplaced, it may be.'

A crimson blade shot into the Emperor's hands so fast, it appeared to erupt from nothing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi took that as his cue to make his presence known.


	20. Battle of Heroes

Anakin's starfighter, retrieved from the Jedi Temple hangar bay, was waiting exactly where he left it, on the landing deck halfway up the tower. For once, Anakin ran from the blaster beams streaking to him on every side, deflecting bolts with a casual disregard, so focused on his course he didn't even look back, letting the Force guide his lightsaber blade without any conscious interference. As much as the sight of them fueled a fury so powerful it frightened him, he had already killed too many clones today. If any more fell by his hand as he escaped, he didn't want to see it happen.

He and R2 reached the starfighter at the same time and Anakin didn't even need to say anything for the droid to plug in so they could take off, dodging blaster fire as they soared into the Coruscanti night, towards the Senate building, Obi-Wan and the Emperor.

* * *

The window of the Chancellor's office was shattered, leaving a gaping hole open to the unforgiving winds of Coruscant's upper atmosphere. The Force stank of the Dark Side here, the echoes of light and dark still ringing through the space like a grim after image Obi-Wan couldn't rub from behind his eyes. Anakin's hunch had been right. Jedi had been killed here. Powerful masters of the Order. Obi-Wan could feel the ghosts of their presences in the Force. Master Kit Fisto... Master Agen Kolar... Master Saesee Tiin... Some of the finest warriors Obi-Wan had ever known.

Gone.

Returned to the Force.

Obi-Wan stepped through the room and out into the corridor. He could sense Master Yoda nearby and... Nothing. Even when he knew what he was looking for, knew Palpatine personally, it was difficult to sense the presence of the Dark Side when it was hidden so expertly.

Yet not impossible. Next to Master Yoda's light, a shadow stood, too dark against the brightness to be natural.

Palpatine.

No - _Sidious._

He crept along the corridor, trying to make his presence as insignificant as possible, to let Yoda's fountain of Light disguise Obi-Wan's own distinct signature. It dulled his senses a little, but not enough that he couldn't determine everything going on in the room below the Grand Convocation Chamber of the Senate.

Yoda and Sidious were talking, as far as he could tell. Then, energy crackled between them and Yoda's Light dimmed a fraction before brightening again. Obi-Wan readied himself to come to the Grandmaster's aid when he felt Yoda's presence nudge him subtly through the Force. The message was clear: _wait._

Obi-Wan obeyed as he felt another surge in the Force, then another and another as Yoda and the void that was Sidious moved swiftly from the centre of the room to the threshold, close enough Obi-Wan could hear the distinctive sound of a lightsaber unsheathing. The faint green glow reflected off the walls of the corridor told him it was Yoda's.

'If so powerful you are, why leave?' Yoda said from just around the corner.

'You cannot stop me,' the Emperor drawled. 'The Dark side always prevails.'

Yoda: 'Faith in the Dark side of the Force, misplaced, it may be.'

In reply, another lightsaber hissed into life, washing the corridor with red flames.

Yoda was no longer sending him the message to hold back.

Taking the hint, Obi-Wan surged forward in a Force-assisted leap that would have made Anakin proud had the younger man been there. His lightsaber slashed into existence as he soared and landed between Yoda and Sidious, just as Sidious' raised blade came crashing down onto his head.

Fighting with Yoda was nothing like fighting with Anakin. Obi-Wan had known Yoda his entire life, the little green alien had been his first instructor when he was just a child, but they weren't two halves of a single warrior like Obi-Wan and Anakin were. He and Yoda rarely fought side-by-side, and even less so against a single foe.

And what a foe.

Sidious moved so fast he disappeared, detectable for any length of time only through the Force. His scarlet blade whipped and slashed through the air with such a speed, it seemed to split in two, attacking from all sides, able to parry both Obi-Wan and Yoda's strikes almost simultaneously.

Yoda was compensating for this by fully unleashing his considerable skills in Ataru, leaping through the air in a whirlwind that rivaled Sidious' own speed and strength. As the battle went on, however, Obi-Wan began to realise that not even Yoda could compete with Sidious' clinical brand of fury.

This is what gave the Sith power over the Jedi. This is what made them so difficult to destroy.

The Sith didn't just use their passion, they harnessed it, controlled it, fed it into the Force like fuelling a fire, only to get it fed back, more concentrated than before. It was a cycle that was impossible to break. It could only be matched and even then, not by a Jedi.

Sidious took a great leap and flipped over backwards, landing in the Chancellor's podium that usually extended upwards into the Grand Convocation Chamber above their heads. With a cackle, a switch was flipped and the pod began to rise. Yoda followed without even breaking stride, Obi-Wan right behind.

Obi-Wan was renown for his reluctance to use a lightsaber, he resorted to violence only when there was no other way. Some would think that made him a weaker swordsbeing.

Some would be dead wrong.

Obi-Wan, the Soresu master, deflected every one of Sidious' attacks, an effective distraction for the Sith Lord so Yoda could somersault over Sidious' head and launch an offensive strike while the Emperor's back was turned.

It almost worked, but at the last moment, Sidious twisted and parried Yoda's blow. Without wasting time, the Sith Lord leaped.

He landed on a senate repulsorpod and, immediately making the most of his distance, began throwing others in Yoda and Obi-Wan's direction. Obi-Wan ducked and dodged the massive projectiles, while Yoda used his much smaller size to the advantage, using each flying saucer as a launching platform, jumping from one to the next until he was close enough to Sidious to reignite his lightsaber.

The Sith and the Jedi exchanged blows at lightning speed as Obi-Wan made his way towards them. Yoda was a blur of green and grey and light, a tiny ball of destruction.

Electricity arced from Sidious' fingers, caught by Yoda's blade. The strength of the energy forced Yoda's blade back towards himself and another surge wrenched the Jedi weapon out of Yoda's grip and it dropped to the floor, far below Yoda caught the lightning with his bare hands, being pushed further and further towards the edge of the repulsorpod. He shot upwards before he could slip, propelled by the Force, and landed behind the Emperor. His Force push was met with another bout of electrical charge. The two forces clashed with a small explosion that threw the two apart. Sidious' back hit the edge of the pod which bent him painfully in half. Yoda's back hit a solid wall and knocked him dazed.

Obi-Wan watched the scene unfold as he scrambled over pods and debris, closing in, but not yet near enough to be of any help.

Both masters recovered quickly. Yoda didn't recover quickly enough.

With a savage bolt of lightning, Sidious launched Yoda through the air, tumbling towards the floor far below.

Obi-Wan reached Sidious in time to hear Yoda hit the Chancellor's podium.

On the level above, Anakin Skywalker sprinted down the halls towards the fight.

* * *

Sidious cackled with unadulterated pleasure as he bore down on Obi-Wan Kenobi. An almost impenetrable defence was one thing, but even Kenobi couldn't hope to compete with the might of the Dark Side of the Force. Not even Grandmaster Yoda, somewhere on the Senate floor below them and hopefully gravely injured, could compete with Sidious. No Jedi could.

And now Kenobi would meet his end, on his back in a repulsor pod with no room to maneuver, at the hands of the Sith.

The Jedi hadn't stopped fighting, though. His blue blade darted between them, looking for something to exploit. Sidious slashed and stabbed, finally able to find a way through Kenobi's defence with a disarming move that left Kenobi prone and weaponless.

'Obi-Wan!'

Skywalker's call was a surprise to no one - or it wouldn't have been if not for the emotion behind the shout. It was enough to stall the death-swing that was Sidious' intention, his nature betraying him, causing him to bask in the feeling behind the boy's cry of distress.

Skywalker's lightsaber snarled into life as he vaulted across the cavernous Convocation Chamber. As he moved into the battle-zone, Kenobi's lightsaber, just cresting it's own high arc through the air, flew into the boy's free hand and flared into life. Pods may as well have been springboards the way they assisted with his flight, his boots barely touching the curved grey surfaces before he was in the air again.

With a snarl to match his lightsaber, he landed between them, mere moments after his arrival, blazing with fury. Both blades rained down on Sidious as the boy landed and Sidious had to call on the Force to push him away. Skywalker jumped Sidious' sweep at his legs easily, landing on a repulsorpod directly above the Sith's head.

Anticipating the young Jedi's next move, Sidious leaped - not up, but sideways, out of immediate danger as Skywalker threw Kenobi's lightsaber in the Jedi Master's direction. Now unencumbered, Kenobi jumped to his feet and caught it, blade firing to life as soon as the hilt touched his hand.

Then, Skywalker leaped down on Sidious with a swing of his lightsaber accompanied by a steady kick. For the first time, Sidious felt outnumbered, though his confidence didn't wane. It made him angry and his anger made him powerful.

Sidious returned Skywalker's reckless swipe at his neck with a strike of equal strength, recovering from the impact of the boy's boot with ease, using the Force to keep his balance and dissipate most of the power behind the kick. Without taking his eyes off Skywalker, Sidious sidestepped another of the young Jedi's angry blows. He could sense Kenobi coming closer and decided he'd rather deal with the two separately.

A sweep at Skywalker's legs with his lightsaber was an effective distraction as he blindsided Skywalker with a repulsorpod. The impact threw Skywalker tumbling into a pod several levels below, just as Kenobi's lightsaber swung out of thin air, directly at Sidious' head. Sidious caught the strike with his own scarlet blade and the two clattered and spat as their masters locked them together.

Kenobi's face, suddenly very close, twisted into a grimace as he maintained the lock, pushing at Sidious' blade with all his strength.

Sidious pushed back.

Skywalker rejoined the fray. The impasse was broken and Sidious, with a heave of Force-assisted strength, pushed Obi-Wan off the pod to tumble out of view. Lightning struck at Skywalker from withered fingers, but it was swept aside by a lightsaber as if it were merely a gentle caress and then he was right there and he _was_ lightning. Blindingly brilliant, faster than the eye could see and incandescent with fury. He bore down on Sidious with a dark power that was both familiar and terrifying, a combination of physical strength and a connection with the living Force no other being had ever truly accomplished, Sidious included.

It was an innate, natural connection, indiscriminate of Light and Shadow, that belied the boy's origins and fueled his passion the likes of which a true Jedi could never match. It was _perfect_.

Sidious cackled and matched Skywalker blow for blow. They leaped around the arena, gladiators with an audience of two, climbing higher and higher up the Grand Convocation Chamber.

Grunts and the sound of lightsabers bursting into life alerted them both that Yoda or Kenobi were about to return to battle. Sidious kicked Skywalker away and sent a repulsorpod hurtling in the other's direction with crash. He managed another before Skywalker returned, descending on him from a few levels above like a hawkbat with a scream. Sidious deflected the blow and only a well placed foot and perfect balance saved Skywalker from a fall like his masters.

Speaking of which...

Yoda came out of nowhere, green blade colouring the air around him as he flew towards Sidious. He thrust his lightsaber at the Sith, who parried, but didn't let up, pushing harder, summoning the power of the Force to try and get the upper hand.

The Force answered in the form of Anakin Skywalker. A blue blade crashed down on the two already sparking together and Sidious staggered a little, before returning with power of his own. Green, blue and red played over Skywalker's face, only inches away, through a haze of multicoloured light, casting ghastly shadows over his features and exaggerating his grimace of hatred and effort. Sidious basked in it. This was good.

' _That's it_ ,' he whispered to the boy. 'Give in to your anger. It makes you stronger. You will not be able to defeat me without it.'

Anakin bared his teeth. 'You underestimate my power.'

* * *


	21. The Final Word

Body coursing with adrenaline and the Force, Master Yoda could not feel pain.

Not of the physical kind, anyway.

Intellectually, he knew his body was battered and bruised, possibly broken, but it still had a job to do and do it, it would. He would have time to dwell on this later, if he survived the conflict.

Physical pain was a paltry thing to a Jedi such as Yoda, especially in the heat of battle, but no amount of Force assistance could heal emotional pain. Every Jedi tried, of course, to stamp it out so this would not be a problem, but no one ever truly succeeded. Not even Yoda, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order himself.

Least of all Anakin Skywalker.

Yoda had sensed it from the beginning; the fear. He had commented on it when he had first met the boy thirteen years ago. Though Yoda had not sensed this level of fear in Anakin Skywalker for a long time, it worried him.

_Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering._

He couldn't just sense fear in Skywalker, but terror, not just anger, but wrath, and not just hate, but loathing.

The war had made him into this, a Jedi with feelings powerful enough to turn even the best Jedi astray. But, no, that wasn't it either. Yoda had the uneasy feeling that Skywalker had always been this way. Like he was born with it, this whirlwind of emotion that could be their undoing.

'You underestimate my power.'

The words, coming out of Skywalker's mouth only confirmed Yoda's worst fears. But Yoda was a true Jedi and so he let that fear go.

With the absence of fear, Yoda realised something else. Anakin Skywalker was probably the only Jedi who had a chance at stopping Sidious.

Anakin himself punctuated the realisation by breaking the lock he and Yoda had gotten into with the Sith Lord. Yoda jumped out of the way as Skywalker swung a kick at Sidious' face, powerful enough to send the Sith Lord stumbling backwards. He regained his composure as Anakin pressed forward, utilising the strength of Djiem So to beat Sidious back, out of the repulsorpod and onto the landing behind. Yoda moved to follow, add his own barrage to Skywalker's, but a nudge from the Force held him back. Something was wrong.

Obi-Wan should have returned to the fight by now.

The Force seemed to want Yoda to find Obi-Wan, but that would mean leaving Skywalker to fight Sidious by himself, which could result in the young Master's death or worse. Yet he could feel the pull of the Force, that little voice that Yoda had long since memorised, the whisper of the Force itself telling him, _go to Obi-Wan Kenobi... Saving him is the key to saving the Republic..._

Yoda had never disobeyed the voice in all of his nearly nine-hundred years and it had never once lead him astray.

He did not start doubting it now.

* * *

Just over twenty-four standard hours ago, Anakin Skywalker had been neither a father nor the last hope for the Republic. Now, it seemed, he had inexplicably become both.

Now, he was facing Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord who had almost taken everything from him, the Sith Lord who had escaped the concerted hunting of the Jedi for decades, the Sith Lord who wore the deformed face of one of Anakin's best friends.

Sheev Palpatine had betrayed the Galaxy, the Republic and the Jedi, but that wasn't the thing that propelled Anakin forward with enough strength to tear durasteel, or with enough fury to bring down the building. Palpatine had nearly killed Padmé and, with her, his children. Palpatine had betrayed Anakin's unwavering loyalty in the cruelest way possible.

Now, even Obi-Wan was no longer at his side, possibly injured by the former friend, the former _father_ , whose scarlet blade met his every attack and Anakin's fury had hardened to compensate.

With as much unfaltering love as Anakin had felt towards the man before him in the past, he now struck out with an equal amount of hate. Betrayal had tempered his fury, forging from a hate as hot as molten stone, a hard and brutal determination. The fire no longer ate at him, no longer tore him apart. It only pointed outwards, aimed directly at it's maker.

Sidious was no longer cackling. His face had hardened to match Anakin's heart and he struck out with purpose as he was walked backwards by Anakin's powerful blows.

He turned to talking instead, to that awful almost-Sheev voice that sounded so wrong.

'You are strong, Anakin...' The Emperor drawled between strikes and parries. 'But are you strong enough to save _her_?'

Anakin growled and kicked out, managing to hit Palpatine in the chest and send him stumbling backwards. 'She has already _been saved_!' A grand sweep with his lightsaber at Palpatine's chest made his next point very clear. 'You don't even get to _speak_ about her!'

'You can't stop me, boy!' Sidious spat. 'Not yet!' The Sith Lord shot upwards and away from Anakin's almost inescapable blade. Blue lightning spat from his fingers before his feet had even hit the red carpet.

An equally blue blade intercepted the lances of energy and deflected them away. Lightsaber still raised against the onslaught, Anakin charged, but Sidious' power was enough to keep him just out of reach. Anakin strained against the barrage of electricity, his entire body straining with the effort to keep his feet firmly planted beneath him.

'Can't you see?' Sidious roared over the noise. 'Against the Dark Side not even _you_ can win!'

* * *

Obi-Wan was groaning in the bottom of a repulsor pod when Yoda found him. Blood trickled from a wound on the back of his head and his gaze was unfocused when his eyes found Yoda's small wizened form.

'Anakin...?' Obi-Wan asked groggily, sitting up and swaying slightly.

'Return to Skywalker, we should,' Yoda said gravely. 'Darkness surrounds him.'

Obi-Wan stumbled to his feet. 'Anakin is fighting Sidious _alone_?' He demanded. 'He'll be killed! Or worse-'

'Walk can you?'

Obi-Wan nodded and winced. 'I'll be alright.'

Yoda looked up at him gravely. 'Good. Needs our help, Skywalker does.'

* * *

Somehow, the fight had made it back to Palpatine's office. The entire place was steeped in a cold aura of death. Brief flashes of scenes Anakin hadn't been there to see flashed before his eyes in glimpses of action and colour. Mace Windu and Palpatine battling in such close quarters their lightsabers seemed to merge together. Palpatine standing before a holo of a clone, but the image was gone before Anakin could catch the words. Windu again, pressed tightly against the grand frame of the shattered window by blue arcs of lightning, both arms outstretched as he screamed, unarmed and unable to deflect the malevolent energy a feral creature wearing Palpatine's robes of office threw at him. Windu falling out of sight, disappearing into the Coruscanti night.

Palpatine thrown against the wall of his office in a mirror of Windu's last desperate pose - except this wasn't a vision. Sidious was gasping for breath, slowly being crushed between an invisible force and the red wall of his office. In his anger, the Force had come to Anakin unbidden, a natural extension of himself, as cold as his rage.

'You learn faster than expected, Anakin,' Sidious gasped and his face twisted into a ghastly smile. 'But not fast enough.'

Anakin was tossed across the room with a cry. The power behind the Sith's force-push was enough to leave him breathless. Sidious, now freed, advanced faster than light, red lightsaber raised and ready, coming down on Anakin hard.

'Think what you could learn from me,' Sidious beguiled. 'You think you can keep your loved ones safe forever. Everything dies, Anakin Skywalker.' He smirked. 'But together, we could change that.'

For an infinitesimal moment, Anakin faltered. Sidious knew exactly how to tap into Anakin's fears. Sidious _knew_ Anakin. He knew every move Anakin made and every way it could be subverted.

Everything Anakin had been trying to suppress, everything that he had felt when he had thought Padmé was going to die, everything he had felt at the Jedi Temple - all the desperation, the pain, the grief, the terror, the betrayal, the sadness, the self-loathing - solidified inside him. He could feel it freezing his insides to cold, hard stone. A stone he could use.

In the end, making his mind up was easy, his resolve unflinching even when two more presences entered the room. The stone inside him kept him grounded, immovable, indestructible. It was a well of power, a hammer that could break through anything. It broke through Sidious's guard, it broke through Anakin's residual care for the mentor Palpatine, the friend Palpatine, it broke through the illusion that that Palpatine had ever been more than an act.

The blue tip of Anakin's lightsaber broke through the back of Sidious' robes and the hilt slammed against the Sith's ribs.

The battle was over and Anakin had won.

'You will teach me nothing,' he hissed, voice barely even a whisper, his face so close to Sidious' that he could hear the old man's tiny grunt of surprise. With a grimace, Anakin kicked the now lifeless body back, removing his blade, and allowed the Emperor to crumple to the ground where he stayed, just another shadow splayed across the carpet.

* * *

Obi-Wan collapsed as soon as he and Yoda found the battle. Not even the Force could keep him upright anymore. The world spun and then he was face down on the carpet, blinking stars from his eyes and biting back a groan.

Yoda allowed him to fall, cushioning it enough that the impact wasn't particularly jarring, and then both Jedi Masters fixed their attention to the scene.

Anakin was a powerhouse, but not only that, he was speed itself. From his angle, Obi-Wan couldn't see his padawan's face, but something felt off about him. In the Force, Anakin was usually a pillar of flame, light and smoke and heat in equal measure. It was then that Obi-Wan realised why it had taken so long for himself and Yoda to find the battle. He had been searching for Anakin's fire, his intensity. That fire seemed to have burnt out. Instead, cold was radiating off him in waves, like a sheet of ice. The Anakin before him was a holo-negative of a lightsaber and he and the blue blade complimented each other perfectly as they slashed through Sidious's defences and then the Sith Lord's chest.

Everything happened so fast, Obi-Wan wasn't entirely sure of what he had seen until the Emperor's lifeless body hit the floor with a soft _thwump!_ and lay still.

Anakin's back was to him now. The young man's shoulders rose and fell with every rapid breath as he stood braced, silhouetted against the black-and-neon Coruscanti skyline framed by the huge window. For a moment, nothing moved, shock permeating the Force so strongly it seemed to still everything. Even the tiny streams of traffic outside seemed to slow.

Then, somewhere to Obi-Wan's left, a lightsaber was drawn.

'Skywalker. Turn around.'

'He's dead,' Anakin said in a broken voice that made Obi-Wan's heart ache.

'Skywalker,' Yoda repeated, his tone the hardest Obi-Wan had ever heard it. 'Turn around.'

'I killed him.' Anakin shuddered. In the Force, his presence seemed to shrink and twist inside himself.

'You did well, Anakin,' Obi-Wan said from the floor. Anakin's posture shifted a little towards his voice.

'Face us.' Power radiated from Yoda, infused his words, made him seem taller, larger than usual.

Finally, agonisingly slowly, Anakin obeyed.

His face was haggard and strangely pale, his scar standing out starkly against his skin despite the dim light of the room. His eyes, hooded by furrowed brows, glowed eerily green. His breathing had slowed by now, but it was still slightly irregular.

'Anakin, you just saved the galaxy,' Obi-Wan said, infusing as much pride as he dared with Yoda present into his words. 'You saved us all.'

Anakin didn't move.

Yoda still hadn't lowered his blade. Obi-Wan finally realised that was because Yoda had sensed what Obi-Wan had. He was treating Anakin as a threat. 'Leave, we should,' he said firmly. 'Dead the Sith may be, but much damage he has done to the Republic.'

'Senator Amidala-' Obi-Wan began, but quickly changed tactics. 'Padmé will want to hear of this as soon as she wakes up - if she hasn't already. She'll be waiting for you.'

Anakin met Obi-Wan's eyes and Obi-Wan was relieved to see that they were clear and blue. Slowly, tenuously, he let out a long deep breath, nodded and Obi-Wan felt a spike in anticipation come from the young Jedi with a smile.

Somewhere inside Anakin, a spark flickered into life.


	22. Epilogue

Padmé Amidala awoke to the most beautiful sight in the galaxy. Possibly even the universe.

The swathes of green fields of the Naboo Lake County, the supernovas and gas clouds of space could not compete, could not even touch the beauty that was Anakin Skywalker, alive, smiling and a little teary, and holding two bundles in his arms.

'Anakin,' Padmé said softly, reaching with one hand to touch him, any part of him, just to make sure he was _real_.

'Hey,' he replied, just as quietly. 'There are two little people just itching to meet you.'

Padmé sucked in a breath and tried to sit up, but Anakin was on his feet in an instant, somehow managing to not jostle the babies and stop her from moving at the same time. 'Let me-' He eased her back again with his body and deposited one of the tiny bundles on her chest for her to cradle. With his free hand, he reached somewhere out of Padmé's field of vision and returned with a large white pillow. 'Here,' he said and between the two of them they managed to get her sitting a little more upright, propped up by comfortable pillows. Once she was settled, the other bundle was deposited into her arms and two tiny sleeping faces met her gaze.

'Twins,' she said quietly, unable to speak above a whisper in the quiet for fear of waking them.

'A boy and a girl.'

'Luke and Leia.' Padmé smiled so broadly her face hurt. Ever since Anakin had found out she was pregnant, in those snatches of peace they could grab in a time of war, they had argued over whether it was a boy or a girl. Padmé had claimed maternal instinct, insisting it was a boy. Anakin had claimed the side of the Force, stating just as insistently that it was a girl. 'We were both right.'

Anakin chuckled and scooted his chair closer until the arm was pressed tightly to the end of the bed and he could lean over, resting his head against hers and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Padmé's mood had sobered a little at her thoughts, inevitably driven back to the war.

'When do you have to leave?' she asked. 'Shouldn't you be out tracking down Sidious?'

Anakin pressed a fierce kiss to her hair. 'Sidious won't hurt you or our family ever again. I promise.'

Padmé tore her gaze away from Luke and Leia to look up at her husband. 'What happened?'

Anakin took a deep breath and told her everything.

* * *

Obi-Wan and Yoda had been in conference for several hours when they finally felt the time was right to talk to Anakin. By that time, Anakin and Padmé had fallen into a tired but comfortable silence. Obi-Wan could see them through the window in the door as he approached with the news. When he'd left his former padawan, Anakin had been sitting in the chair by the bed, whispering softly to his children. Now, both father and children had migrated, and the entire family was squished onto the hospital bed, Anakin's large and lanky frame cradling all three of them protectively and his flesh hand absently stroked the Senator's hair.

Obi-Wan hated to disturb them. Yoda either couldn't see through the door or he didn't share Obi-Wan's sentiment. The old grandmaster knocked and strode right in.

'Skywalker,' he announced gravely. 'Talk we must.'

Anakin nodded mutely and extricated himself from his family with a little less than his usual grace. Obi-Wan noticed that on the side of his head that had been rested on the pillow behind Padmé, his hair stuck up at odd angles and found it amusing.

'Are you okay?' Padmé asked Anakin quietly. Anakin just nodded.

Obi-Wan gestured to the door. 'Why don't we talk outside?'

'Reached a decision, we have,' Yoda announced once they were in the deserted corridor outside. Anakin's stomach clenched. The graveness on the small Jedi's face was enough to ignite a sense of trepidation in him. They were going to make him leave Padmé, his children...

'Reverse what has already passed, we cannot,' Yoda said instead. 'Condone your actions, we cannot. Lose any more Jedi, we cannot.'

'Anakin,' Obi-Wan said quietly, grey-blue eyes pleading with him to understand. 'You must realise you have put us in an impossible position...'

'I know, Obi-Wan,' Anakin admitted. 'I'm sorry for telling you.'

'But not for your actions, hmmm?' Yoda inquired.

'I don't expect you to understand,' Anakin grumbled. 'How can either of you understand? You're good Jedi. The only family you have is the Order, it's not... it's not _personal_ for you. It's not instinctual. Whatever you ask of me, I can't just abandon my family.'

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. 'You would leave the Jedi Order?'

Anakin shook his head in frustration. 'I must. I owe everything to the Order and... and I believed in it, or most of it, I truly did and the Jedi were my family, but if you forced me to choose, then yes. I would leave. The Order has been what I've defined myself by since childhood, and I don't think I could bear to lose it, but I _know_ I couldn't bear to lose my family.' He sent a defeated look in Obi-Wan's direction. 'You're not the only ones in an impossible situation.'

'A solution, we have, Skywalker, if you and your family choose to agree to it,' Yoda said after a pensive moment. 'Your help rebuilding the Jedi Order, we need. However, a danger to this, your family is. An isolated case, you must be.'

'A precedent cannot be set,' Obi-Wan continued. 'The code is in place for a reason. If word got out of your... marriage, then there would be nothing to stop others from following suit. We must keep your family a secret, Anakin, and not just from the Order. You're a powerful Jedi, and your children are already showing signs of being strong with the Force. Nobody, aside from those who already know, can know of their paternal parentage. Not even the children.'

'I-' Anakin began, but Obi-Wan sent him a silencing look and he quietened. What the Jedi were saying was right. He hadn't rid himself from the need to keep secrets by a long shot.

'They will be trained as Jedi,' Obi-Wan continued. 'They will be raised in the Temple where you will have some access to them, but you must keep a professional distance, Anakin, can you do that?'

'A small mercy, this is,' Yoda admitted. 'But the best we can offer.' He looked to Anakin for a moment and said, 'Master Kenobi, duties to perform, have you?'

Obi-Wan nodded solemnly. 'Yes, Master. There are things I must discuss with Senator Organa.' He left without another word, leaving Yoda alone with Anakin and his sleeping family.

'Master Skywalker,' Yoda began, surprising Anakin with his defeated look.

'I'm still a Master?' Anakin asked in disbelief.

'About that, I wished to talk with you,' Yoda sighed. 'Old, I have become.'

Anakin wasn't sure what to say. 'Master...'

'Not just old in body, but old in my ways I have become. Evolved, the Sith have. So evolve we must.'

Anakin frowned. 'What does this have to do with me?'

Yoda looked up at him with clear green eyes. The tips of his ears drooped as he stabbed at Anakin's leg with his gimmer stick. 'From a young age, demonstrated you have, that you are no ordinary Jedi. Certain actions of yours we must hide, yes, but others, elevate them we should. An evolution of the Jedi you already are. Many improvements you could make if on the council you stayed.'

Anakin stared at him, dumbstruck. 'You mean..? I don't know what to say.'

'Right about one thing, Sidious was. Outdated the Jedi have become. That you will help prove him wrong, you should say.'

Anakin nodded firmly. 'I will, Master.'

* * *

'I get to see them,' Padmé insisted as soon as she was told.

'What?' Obi-Wan asked.

'Anakin will get to see them. I get to see them, too.'

'Padmé...'

'You need my co-operation, this is how you get it.'

'It's against the code-'

'Don't you dare throw the code at me, Obi-Wan Kenobi! You're breaking the code already, just by letting Anakin stay. You need both of us to cooperate and you need our children. If I didn't believe the Jedi were key to bringing peace back to the galaxy, I wouldn't be letting them go in the first place.'

'We won't take them away yet, it'll be at least a year before-'

'I. Get. To see. Them.'

'It would be safer if-'

'That's my final offer,' Padmé insisted. 'It doesn't have to be every week, but I will not be cut out of their lives completely once they join you at the Temple. No one has to know about it. I already live on Coruscant anyway. Just promise me this one thing and I'll do whatever you ask of me.'

'Agree to this, we will. Strong with the Force, your family is. But knowledge of this, beyond this room cannot pass.'

'Thank you, Master Jedi.'

Obi-Wan bowed respectfully and left, Yoda accompanying him. There was nothing more for them to discuss.

Anakin and Padme shared a look and she sighed. Finally she said, 'It could be worse.'

Anakin slumped down in the chair he had previously occupied. 'I know, my love,' he replied. 'I know.'

They both lapsed into a tired, but contented silence. For now, their family was whole and happy. For now, there was nothing trying to kill them or found an Empire of evil. For now, they weren't a Jedi, a Senator and the twin futures of the New Jedi Order.

For now, they were just the Skywalkers, a normal, unimportant family of four and, somehow, that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end of this story, but if you enjoyed it keep a look out because I'm writing a sequel! Have a great day.


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